


Steps to the Cherished Path of Parenthood

by Jacqualine



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Aged Up, Anne and Gilbert, F/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Smut, awkward converstations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2020-12-28 14:08:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 36,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21137963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacqualine/pseuds/Jacqualine
Summary: Anne knows just who to go to for information on the steps to reproduction. I don't like to write about younger teens in sexual situations and this may continue so I aged them up to be about 18, the summer before Queens. I may add to this, if you all like it. Maybe get smuttier???





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First Anne and Gilbert fic, how could I not explore this topic, after 3X5??

She would do it. She would just go up to him...Gilbert, And ask him. To explain, he helped her all the time with studying for Queens, so there was no reason to be mortified. She was going to be a teacher and she should understand these things. Except she couldn't make her feet climb the stairs to the door, the door to Gilbert's house and to the possibility of eternal shame. She was about to turn around when the door opened and Gilbert stood in the entrance, a confused smile on his face. "Anne?" He queried, she dark eyebrows coming together as he looked at her. 

"Gilbert, hello...good Afternoon..." She fumbled. He nodded his greeting, waiting for her to continue. "I uh..You see...I was just..."

"Why don't you come inside Anne, Bash is out picking up some supplies and Delphine is sleeping. We could have some tea and you can explain what has made Anne Shirley-Cuthbert unable to form a sentence." She opened her mouth to argue that she was perfectly capable of making as many sentences as she pleased, but realized she still hadn't explained why she was there and meekly followed him inside. 

He set about boiling the water in the kettle and pulled some tea cups out of the cupboard. She watched his back, his hands and the glimpses of his face as he worked, trying to calm the beating of her erratic heart. She could ask him, he would be a doctor, her a teacher and they could speak of medical terms and processes. Yes as colleagues and peers they could easily discuss such things. "What are the steps to reproduction?" She spat out quickly before she lost her nerve. Gilbert dropped the bowl of sugar, he was holding, on to the counter and spun around to face her. "What did you just say?" He asked, eyes looking at her and then darting away, only to flick back and forth to her and the door. 

"As you may recall, I wasn't sure if emotion could cause a woman to be barren. And none of the other girls knew either and Miss Stacey said there were several steps that led to a woman having a baby, and we don't know...I don't know what those steps are. And I will be a teacher someday. Probably not a wife or a mother, but as a teacher I should know things like that..." She trailed off, after she looked up from her hands, held tightly in her lap, and saw his face. One that was filled with so much...Gilbert. That was the only way she, who had so many words and synonyms, could explain his look of, worry, amusement and something else, a look he often had but she could never discern, what did that look mean?

"Marilla..?" He asked. Anne shook her head to convey, Marilla wouldn't be a source of knowledge. "Anne, I expect that as a woman approaches marriage, her mother would explain these things. I don't know if it is appropriate for me...us...to speak of them." She nodded, in understanding but now that the words were out, she would not be stopped.

"Do not treat me like a child Gilbert Blythe. You know I am just as smart as you, maybe smarter, I can understand. I'm old enough. Please just tell me. You must know." He held her gaze for a moment and let out a long sigh. 

"How much do you already know? Do you know anything?"

"Well Ruby thought you could get pregnant from touching a boy. But Miss Stacey said that isn't how it works, and that there are steps, first courtship, then marriage and then it became a lot more confusing, something about consent and the cherished path to parenthood. She seemed so nervous and so unlike Miss Stacey. What are the steps?"

"Miss Stacey is right, you can't get pregnant from simply touching a boy or a man. It's...it Involves...this is difficult. " He grimaced. "You live on a farm, and Matthew's horse is about to foal." He tried a new method. 

"Yes."

"Do you know how the horse got pregnant?" He asked. She shook her head. He signed and closed his eyes. Anne wondered why everyone, adults included were so nervous about this. Gilbert would be a doctor and would have to deal with horrors and sickness worse than a pregnant woman. "Alright...do you know where the baby comes out?" Anne's eyes widened and she quickly dropped his gaze to once again study her hands in her lap, she felt her face get extremely hot and knew she might be blushing harder than she ever had before. He got up and paced around the room for a few moments, clearly uncomfortable with the whole conversation.

"Well the baby gets in the same way it comes out. But a man puts it in there. Think of it like, you have a seed inside of you and the husband waters the seed and it grows, into a baby." He nodded and smiled to himself, although he had explained it perfectly.  
"A seed, waters it..it my...their?" She couldn't even finish it. "How does the seed get in there, what does he water it with?" She was even more confused. That is where she urinated from, how could anything grow in there?

"It's not a real seed. Alright Anne, I am going to get one of my medical books and I can show you some diagrams. Would that help?"

Now he was on to something, if it were in a book, she could learn it. She nodded eagerly and watched him disappear for a few moments before returning with a large book. He sat down beside her but one chair down, the book between them. He opened it and began leafing through the pages, "You can never tell anyone about this, Anne. Promise me." She nodded and whispered her vow of silence and stared at the pages, as Gilbert continued to search for the one he wanted. "I assume you have changed babies, male babies." Again she knew to stay as quiet as can be, but nodded her answer. "So you have seen their private parts, their penises." He supplied a word she had never heard. She nodded slowly, still not understanding. "As a boy grows, so does his penis, you may notice that people our age have changed, got taller, grown facial hair...filled out."

She understood that part. Afterall, how many times had she lamented about the lack of filling out she was experiencing. But she recalled the hair growing between her legs, at her private parts and she got her monthly flow, She was technically a woman Marilla had said. Gilbert finally stopped turning pages and stopped on a diagram, of a man, completely unclothed, one side of the diagram, had all the body parts that would be under the skin, and the other half was just a naked man. He face burned hotter, her eyes zeroed in on his private region. "That is the penis and this bit is the scrotum. I assume you know a woman has different parts." She nodded and exhaled a shaky breath. He turned the page and there was a diagram of a woman, the same as the previous diagram, half nude and half insides and bones. "Where the baby comes out is called a vagina, its a small hole, between her legs." She pretended she didn't notice Gilbert's voice had cracked when he spoke. "When a man and a woman decide to have a baby, he will put....his penis inside her vagina." He rushed out. Now she felt fury rising in her chest.

"Gilbert Blythe, I came here to get your help and you make a joke." She was indignant, and stood up and started walking toward the door.

"Anne..wait. It's not a joke, this is how it happens. Hey you asked me." He looked so earnest and nervous, he didn't look like he was lying. Had Gilbert ever lied to her? She sat back down, waiting for him to continue. "I know I am not explaining it as clear as you would like but understand, this isn't easy for me either."

"I'm sorry Gilbert, I honestly appreciate it. I just can't comprehend it. Why does it work like that? How does it actually work, getting the pen....it inside. Where do the seed and water come from? Aren't there any pictures of that?" She asked, flipping the pages. 

"Anne, no, stop. There are not pictures of that in here. Give me a second, please." Was he blushing too? He covered his face with his hands, Anne could see his hands shaking and felt terrible for making him feel this way, but they had come too far now. She wouldn't leave his house until she grasped it all. Sighing out a long breath, he uncovered his face and began. "Don't interrupt, let me say it and then you can bombard me with questions.

When man gets excited by his wife, he will want to lay in bed with her, his penis will grow hard and he will lay on top of her and put his penis inside her vagina, he moves it in and out until he releases a substance that was made inside his body. Once in there, it joins with a seed a woman makes and a baby can grow out it." He didn't look at her while he explained, he stared out the window, at the warm spring sky. Anne, played his words over and over in her mind, tried to picture it, the act, and couldn't. She recalled seeing stray cats, the male cat on a female, growling and biting her neck, she recalled the grunts and moans of the head of the former family she lived with. She'd always thought Mr. Hammond was drunk and had an upset stomach, when he made those noises. Maybe it had always been right in front of her the whole times.

"And you don't have to be married to do it. That's why so many girls abandoned their babies at the orphan asylum." She wondered out loud.

"Well...one doesn't have to be married but it is considered improper..."

"Yes, yes, I know that. But shouldn't there be more babies? Mr. Hammond, took Mrs. Hammond into the bedroom almost nightly, she had a lot of babies but not that many." She asked him.

"A baby isn't always made every time. But it could, so that is why only married couples should." 

What does it feel like, I wonder?" She thought out loud. And Gilbert began to choke, "Are you alright?" She asked him.

"Yes Anne, but you shouldn't talk that way." He warned, she noticed he was gripping the table, his knuckles white. Had Gilbert done that? He had traveled to Trinidad and stopped in many ports, an adventurer in his own right, had he been on top of a woman? The thought that he had done that, hurt her heart. She didn't want to admit it but the thought that he might have done it with someone other than her, made her want to cry. 

"I should go, thank you Gilbert, I think I understand now. " She stood to leave and he grabbed her hand, holding it tightly, keeping her from leaving.

"I won't lie Anne, I hated every moment of this conversation but if you need more...explanation, I am always here. The heat from his hand, tingled, sending waves of tremors though her body, heat, heaviness and something explicable, she couldn't describe, throbbed between her legs. And it terrified her, she yanked her hand from his and bolted from the house, without even a farewell or thank you. Her escape so quick that she failed to noticed he was reacting to her touch. His was panting, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all, with a small, almost desperate laugh, he laid his head on the table and wondered at the miracle that was Anne.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne decides to take another look at Gilbert's medical book. She still has questions!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to keep things as realistic as possible, obviously they aren't going to go at it on the kitchen table but I will need to stretch the limits of plausibility sometimes. Thanks for all the comments, I really appreciate them all!!

Now that she knew, she should be able to continue on. It was like learning something new at school, a new math formula, starting a fresh chapter in history class or hearing the words of a previously unknown, to Anne at least, poet. You would learn it, think about it, let it bounce around inside your head, and then move on to new challenges, keeping the newfound knowledge stored away for future use. And if a miracle happened and she woke up pretty one day, with auburn hair and she managed to attract a husband, she would need to know about reproduction, then. But for now, Anne could focus on other things, avoiding Charlie, enjoying the last moments with Diana before she left for finishing school in Europe, beating Gilbert Blythe at every test and lesson Miss Stacey taught, not thinking about that dance with Gilbert Blythe, not thinking about his curly hair, or warm kind eyes and certainly not about that horrible, awkward, never to be thought of conversation with Gilbert again. 

But try as she might, Anne, couldn't stop thinking of it, she didn't dare say the words out loud but she had repeated them in her mind countless times. "Penis. Vagina." They sounded both scientific and mysterious, and the moment she was finished a lesson, or a chapter, or a chore, they would come to her mind. Nights before falling asleep, were particularly awful, she knew the words, thought, she understood the act but had so many more thoughts. Pet Mouse, being one of them. She remembered the pet mouse that every man had in his front pocket and how her former guardian had wanted his wife to pet it. Why? They already had more than enough children, didn't need more, so why make more babies? Why pet it, if it went into a wife's vagina? The penises on babies seemed so small, Anne couldn't imagine that even if a man's penis grew that it could be big enough to get into that part of her body, it couldn't possibly get that long.She longed to talk to Diana about it but she had made a solemn vow to Gilbert and she couldn't risk him getting in trouble, not when she had insisted and pleaded for answers. She didn't understand how unmarried women could find themselves pregnant, why would you do that, if you didn't want a baby? She was sort of relieved she was plain, it sounded utterly bizarre to her and she was happy she wouldn't experience that. 

She did wish she could have a real look at Gilbert's medical book though, but Marilla would have been horrified and outraged at the idea of that book being in her house and Anne reading it. She just wanted a few more details but was loathed to ask Gilbert anymore, after he had held her hand and she had those tingles and feelings, by or near her vagina, she wanted to know what caused them, was she bad? Or indecent? Immoral? She would feel so guilty if such good, God fearing people like Matthew and Marilla, found out they had brought a wicked, immoral girl into their family. She wouldn't be able to stand the look of disappointment on their faces. 

It had been mortifying enough, that when she had returned from Gilbert's that day, she had spied Matthew and Jerry working on a fence post by the barn, and instantly realized they had penises, and that every male she had encountered had one. Right there under their clothes, and that led to her thinking about all the women having vaginas, why were their parts so private? She understood decency, you couldn't let your privates out for the world to see, but why couldn't there be conversations? Knowledge was power afterall. 

"Anne, I think I am coming down with a cold and I don't want Delphine to catch it, I'll need you to go over there and help Bash and Gilbert with her, while they do some work. " Marilla said, when Anne came down, the first Saturday after her conversation with Gilbert. She wanted to refuse, she didn't want to see him, school had been bad enough, although always polite and perfect Gilbert had greeted her as normal as usual and had made no reference to what had occurred. She refused to acknowledge, even to just herself that it seemed he held her gaze for longer than proper, or looked at her lips when she spoke, or brushed his arm against hers while passing by. 

"Alright Marilla. Let me make you some tea first, and maybe some broth." 

"Delphine is sleeping already, Anne. She's had her breakfast and shouldn't need a nappy change for a few hours." Bash told her as he headed for the door, Gilbert was already in the orchard, tending to his bees, Bash had informed her. 

"Wonderful Bash, I'll do some school work and start on lunch for you both."

"You Cuthberts are a real blessing to not only me, but to Delly and Gilbert as well. We wouldn't have good food in our bellies or clean nappies, without you and Marilla." Anne just smiled and felt her cheeks flush at the compliment. And then he was gone and she sat down and started to do her work. Her one consolation during the whole matter was, it hadn't immediately occurred to her. 

She was completely finished her math work, and was starting on her English essay when it popped into her head out of the blue. Gilbert's medical textbook was probably just upstairs in Gilbert's room. It wouldn't hurt it take a quick look, and he had already showed her. Surely he wouldn't mind. Delphine was still sleeping, she would be waking up soon and the sun told her the men would be coming in for lunch in an hour or so. Nodding to herself she dashed up the stairs, hesitating at the top of the stairs, while she knew Gilbert's room was the second door on the left, she had never been in there, had seen glimpses of his red and blue quilt, on his bed when she passed but never fully entered the room. With a breath she moved forward and opened the door, breathing in the scent of Gilbert, clean clothes, fresh from the line, wood, chopped wood to be more precise, wood smoke and that unique smell that was Gilbert. She couldn't stop staring at his bed, imagining him laying in it, sleeping or reading a book, his messy curls, against the pillows. Shaking her head, as if to clear it, she realized she had moved toward it and was about to take the pillow and smell it. Why would she want to smell Gilbert Blythe's pillow? She scanned the room and saw a small desk, with a pile of books. She recognized several from school and looked for the one he had shared with her, spying it on the very bottom of the pile. She made sure to remember the order of the books, to put back and avoid Gilbert discovering she had been in there. She sat at the desk and began leafing through the pages. It deserved more of her attention, she should learn what these things did, what was a gallbladder? However with not a lot of time, she needed to get to reproduction. 

She found the page with the male diagram and studied it closely for a second, before moving to the text. "Scrotum, testicles, sperm, vas deferens..." What was this all about?

"What are you doing in here Anne?" She jumped and slammed the book shut, spinning in the chair, finding Gilbert Blythe in the door way, with a confused smile on his face. 

"I...I...Gil...I just wanted to look again." She admitted. What lie was there to tell, she was caught red handed. 

"Why didn't you ask?" He entered the room now, moving toward her. Why did it seem like the room was suddenly smaller? He wasn't especially tall, or wide but he filled the room. 

"It's humiliating." She admitted. "Why is this knowledge kept so secret? We have the babies, we should have a right to know about this too."

"I don't know Anne, but it isn't just girls. I didn't know this stuff when I was younger, the other boys at school, Billy and his friends, they would talk about it like they knew, and I thought they did, until I learned the actual truth." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at the book and then at her. "You can ask, I will tell you as honestly as I can."

And then it was like a dam bursting, she asked "If the penis goes inside to make the baby, why do men liked it to be pet?" She blushed when she noticed his eyes go wide and he took a step back from her, looking around the room for, she didn't know what he was looking for, but he seemed to keep looking at the bed the most. And suddenly the air seemed charged, like when there is a lightning storm, would those electric jolts come if he touched her again? 

"I think we should go down to the kitchen." He told her, did his voice sound lower? And there was a look on his face, she didn't know what it meant, but she felt that tickle between her legs again. He was already out the door and on the stairs by the time she stood to leave, and she hurried to catch up to him. 

When they reached the kitchen, Anne started making lunch while GIlbert, sat at the table. "It feels good for a man when his penis is touched. " He said in a very matter of fact voice, as though he were talking about the train schedule. "Sometimes, that happens before intercourse."

"Intercourse? Is that what is called?" She asked. He nodded and she noticed his eyes drop to her lips again. She turned away and started frying up some bacon for their lunch. "How does the penis get inside the vagina?"

"He lays on top of her and...." He started to explain but she interrupted, but with her back still to him.

"I know that, but how does it actually get inside, they don't seem long enough." 

"Oh...well, Remember it grows when he is excited, and it also grew before that, when he grew from boy to man. It's long enough." He had lost his calm, collected tone and she could hear the nervous edge in his voice. "And...the woman will spread...allow him between her thighs, to make it easier." She couldn't help the unwanted image of him, on top of her and between her legs and she gasped quietly at the gush of warmth that she felt down there. 

"I apologize Anne, that was uncalled for. I am sorry I scandalized you." He seemed genuinely worried he had upset her. And she shook her head. 

"No Gilbert, your answer was very helpful." She turned toward him and smiled widely, "Thank you." 

They stopped talking then, Anne with no question she dared to ask yet, and Gilbert, staring thoughtfully at something on the table. She was just setting the food onto the table when Bash joined them, loudly and happily greeting them, his enthusiasm waking up Delphine, while he went to change her, Anne warmed up a bottle and offered to feed her when he and Delly returned, so Bash could eat the food while it was still warm. Occasionally, Gilbert would lean over to talk to Delly, his arm brushing against Anne's as she held the baby. Each time, he touched her, or looked at her, Anne felt the warm, wetness again. It wasn't time for her monthly flow, was Gilbert causing it? Like the tingles and goosebumps she got when he held her hand? The sky was turning grey and the men decided to take the afternoon off, couldn't get too much done in a rainstorm, and Anne decided she should get home before it started. 

"I'll walk out with you, I left some tools out I don't want to get rusted." Gilbert said as she made her goodbyes to Bash and Delphine. 

"I'll be back tomorrow, if Marilla is still unwell." She told Bash and followed Gilbert out the door. 

They walked in silence for a few minutes, until they reached the orchard, where Gilbert had left his tools. "Gilbert? I can ask anything, right?"

"Anything." He affirmed. She tried to work up the courage to ask, his eyebrow quirking up as he waited and watched her face. 

"If men liked to be touched...on their penises, does that mean women like to touch it?" She stared at his face, watching him turn red, and opened mouth for a few moments before composing himself.  
Nodding, "I suppose some women...do. Some may do it just to please the men."

"Do men, like touching the women, at their vaginas?" She asked shyly. And Gilbert took a faltering step back from her, as if pushed or punched by an unseen force. He rubbed the side of his face, the side she cracked her slate on, all those years ago, and took several steadying breaths. Had she gone too far? She was too outrageous. "I'm sorry, I'm wicked and immoral." She turned to flee, again, but he grabbed her arm and held her in place. 

"You aren't running away again Anne. You asked, here is your answer. " She felt the hair on the back of her neck rise, as if she sensed danger, but her urge to flee, wasn't because she felt unsafe with Gilbert. She was perfectly safe. Why was her heart pounding and her breath ragged? He brought his free hand up, to the side of her face, stroking a knuckle over her cheekbone, down her jaw, his hand moving to lightly hold her chin, his thumb, for just the quickest of moments, brushing over her lips. "Yes Anne, men like to touch women. And if they are considerate and loving, she will relish his touch. Even get pleasure from it. She will need him, want him...crave him."

"Like a plum puff?" She whispered so softly, she wasn't sure he could hear her. But he nodded, his hand moving from her chin, to her hair, taking one long, red braid in his hand and letting it slide between his palm and fingers. He closed his eyes and took a huge, deep breath, released her hair and stepped back.

"Any more?" He asked her. She shook her head spit out a goodbye and ran away from him and the intense hunger she felt for him. She craved him. She craved Gilbert Blythe and she couldn't lie to herself anymore.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And needs Gilbert's help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I worked late into the night to have this done for Sunday, sorry if I made some dumb errors. Hope you all enjoy it and again, many thanks for the kind and thoughtful comments. Smutty Sunday is here!!!

She was going to burn in hell for eternity and she fully deserved it. She had been called bad, wicked, too inquisitive for her own good, hadn't Marilla always warned her to be careful or she would end up face down in a ditch? Well, the ditch would be the deepest pits of Hell, where she would be surrounded by fire and brimstone, surrounded by horrible demons that would punish her for her sinful ways. And to be having those sinful, wicked, indecent thoughts, in church, of all places. Marilla would collapse on the spot if she could read Anne's mind. She would be chased out of Avonlea, if anyone knew how truly wanton she was. She had always liked the word wanton, she had read it once in a book and hadn't understood it, but it had conjured images of debauchery, if only her younger, less wicked self could have known what true debauchery was. This wasn't running through the woods in your nightgown to celebrate Beltane and womanhood. No, she was in church, where she should throw herself onto the alter and beg God, Jesus, and all the Heavenly hosts to forgive her, thinking instead of Gilbert Blythe and the way she trembled when he touched her. 

After she had fled from him just the day before, she had run home, straight to Green Gables and to the Outhouse, thinking she had started her monthly bleeding, but there was no blood. There was moisture between her thighs and more on her vagina. Was it on or in? She didn't know, she needed to see that diagram again, she should know what all the parts of her body were called. When she wiped it away, she felt such a jolt of something, she didn't even know what, it felt good, so good she touched it with her finger. She had to bite her lip from making any noises, ones that were threatening to spill from her lips. Thinking of her lips, brought the memory of Gilbert, briefly touching her lip with his thumb and she felt, the liquid, flowing again and the compulsion to touch herself again. She was debating whether to do it again when Marilla called her inside. Did Marilla know what she was doing? Something inside of Anne told her, Marilla would not approve, and her face filled with heat from shame and guilt. She tried to go the rest of the day without thinking of Gilbert, but that was nearly impossible, she felt like she could still feel his touch, smell him and feel his warmth, and she desperately wanted him to do those things to her again. 

She held back a groan of frustrated and tried to concentrate on the minister's words, but her mind went back to what had happened in her bedroom, last night. She had turned in early, not being able to study or read, unable to sit quietly with Matthew or sew with Marilla. In bed she tossed and turned, hearing both Matthew and Marilla turn in for the evening, but sleep alluded her for several more hours. She tried to think of Princess Cordelia, what adventures she could be on, fighting dragons, rescuing other princesses, bringing peace to all the realms, but Princess Cordelia, would always turn into Gilbert Blythe and he would take hold of her braid and slide it between his hand...if only she could relieve this pent up frustration she was feeling. She discovered at some point, as the light was already starting to peek above the trees, if she squeezed her legs together, it felt good, like when she touched herself. Eventually, after squeezing and releasing for a bit she finally gave in and slid her hand into her underclothes and touched herself, exploring. She found it very wet and slippery, and couldn't understand why that was happening, but when she slid her fingers over the small bump near the top, she gasped out loud. She felt around some more and discovered the small hole, put just the tip of her finger in, it felt good but didn't make her gasp or twitch the way the bump did. So she had fumbled around, she could feel, something, a feeling, a tightness, building in her, deep down, and she needed desperately for it to be released somehow but she couldn't do it. She ended up feeling worse than before, vowing she would never do that again. She groaned in agony into her pillow and then got up and got ready for church, she would pray these feelings away. 

But she saw Gilbert at church that morning, he and Bash, stopped by the pew the Cuthberts were sitting in, to greet them all and to inquire as to Marilla's health. Anne, immediately felt her cheeks burning, and managed to smile a greeting at Bash and simply nod to Gilbert, holding her bible a little tighter, trying to draw goodness from it. While Gilbert talked to Marilla, Anne allowed herself to look at him, to stare at his eyes, with their beautiful gold flecks, crinkles in the corners of his eyes when he smiled, and his lips, would they be soft if she touched them? What would it feel like to kiss him? 

Relish...want...crave...   
"You two should take your seats, service is about to start." She interrupted, she knew it was rude but she ignored the horrified look Marilla gave her and the quirking of a raised eyebrow that Gilbert, responded with. They said goodbye and took their seats, Anne was glad that they were behind her and she wouldn't be tempted to look at Gilbert Blythe. Not looking turned out to be easier than paying attention to the sermon, instead of listening to the minister, she thought of Gilbert Blythe and squeezed her thighs together tightly.

"I'm feeling much better today, I am sure the cold has passed, I'll come by after I change out of my church clothes." Marilla was telling Bash, he was holding Delphine. Gilbert was talking to Miss Stacey a few feet away, trying not to eavesdrop, but failing miserably. 

"I think I'll walk home." Gilbert heard Anne say. 

"May I join you?" He asked quickly, saying a hurried goodbye to Miss Stacey. Anne frowned at him, but he was thrilled to notice the blush that filled her cheeks. He found himself wondering how far down her chest and shoulders that blush crept and was instantly filled with mortification. They walked for several minutes, leaving the church and the people of Avonlea behind them, as they followed the well worn path toward Green Gables. 

"I was wondering, what you thought of the sermon this morning?" Gilbert recalled his tea with Miss Rose and tried to use what she had taught him. When Anne made no move to answer, he craned his neck to look at her, was she mad at him? He had been too forward, told her too much and certainly should never have been so bold as to touch her. She seemed to be staring straight ahead but she had an expression he had come to recognize, she was thinking, her mind must be racing through her thoughts, her brows furrowed as she thought, mouth in a grim tight line but not to his relief, anger, he knew what Anne looked like when she was mad, this wasn't anger. "So...about yesterday...I should apologize." That finally got her attention, she stopped walking and turned to him. 

"Why, would you apologize?" She asked without an ounce of sarcasm.

"I wasn't gentlemanly, I was..."

"Oh no, I should apologize. I now realize that I have been too curious and that these sorts of questions are wrong, and I don't need to know the answers, and if I do, it will be from an older learned woman, perhaps Aunt Josephine." She rushed out in one long sentence. And Gilbert was a little surprised by his own reaction to that statement, he understood, it must be overwhelming to learn about this from him, he was angry, he shouldn't be the one to explain, Marilla or Miss Stacey should tell her and worst of all, he was disappointed. If she stopped asking questions, he couldn't answer them, and he wanted to be the one to show, he shook his head at that word, scandalized by his own thoughts, not show her, that would be beyond indecent, he wanted help her understand. As a doctor would help a patient. Although he knew a doctor, shouldn't feel the way he did about a patient. Shouldn't feel like pressing her up against a tree and kissing her senseless, shouldn't want to pull her glorious hair free of those braids and run his hands through them, to bring those tresses to his lips and kiss them. And a doctor, should never do what he did to himself the night before, thinking of Anne, wearing absolutely nothing and he counted every freckle on her body by kissing each one. Only crude, unrefined men did that, beasts with no self control. He remembered the men on the ship, taking themselves into their own hands, in the dark night and grunting to climax. Gilbert hadn't done that since was 13 or 14, but his need for Anne, was too much, and he convinced himself that if he didn't do it, he might lose his strength and ravish her. After he had cleaned himself up, he had felt so dirty and guilty, but that pent up frustration was gone and he had slept so soundly, he didn't even hear Delly wake up for her bottle. 

And now, this beautiful, incredible, too magical to be real, Goddess, thought she was the immoral one. "Anne, it's normal to want to know these answers. And being curious doesn't make you wicked. Why would you think that?" He watched as she avoided his look and turned away, following her as she left the path and walked deep into the woods, stopping at a tall white tree, running her fingers over the peeling bark of the white birch tree. She was wrestling with something, something she was too embarrassed to speak of, he recognized the look of terror and determination, she had worn the last two times they were alone. 

"Can I borrow the book, Gilbert? I'll be careful to hide it from Marilla."

"I don't think that is a good idea." He couldn't risk anyone catching Anne with it. 

"Please reconsider, Gilbert." She pleaded, leaning her head on the tree. 

"Anne, I can't risk a scandal like that. Tell me what's wrong?" He could see she was very upset, her eyes filling with tears, not yet released.   
"You don't understand, I need to know if I am normal, I don't know what's happening to me." She cried out, sliding down to sit on the ground, her back against the tree. 

"What is it Anne?" He asked, crouching down next to her, looking over her face for something to explain her mental state. She covered her face with her hands and shook her head, the tears now flowing and he felt powerless to halt her tears. "Anne, let me help you, are you sick?"

"I don't know. It's never happened before, but I feel like I am going to claw my own skin off, I feel like pulling my hair out, running through the streets, screaming...and I feel....." She trailed off, her lips focused on his lips. Gilbert tried to think of sickness or disease that would cause those symptoms. Maybe it was rabies...? He was pulled from his train of thought by Anne reaching up, putting her hand on the back of his neck and pulling his face down to hers. It was quick, more of a press of the lips than a kiss. It startled Gilbert, never expecting Anne to kiss him, but of course, wild and free and brave Anne would never wait for a kiss she if wanted one. She quickly removed the pressure on his neck, but he noted her hand stayed there, her fingers tickling the hair at the nape of his neck. He pulled back and stared into her eyes, he wanted more, he wanted to give her a real first kiss, even if it meant he caught rabies. The last thing he saw as he lowered his face again, was her eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks and the tiny gasp she made as he drew nearer. He was no expert in kissing, she was his first kiss too, oh Josie Pye had tried a few times, but he had never desired to kiss her, no, since the day he met her, he only wanted to kiss Anne Shirley-Cuthbert. So now he did. 

He didn't know if he did it right, or well, but the little mewling noises Anne made became his guidebook. And when she opened her mouth for a much needed breath, nearly panting and gasping, instinct kicked in and he dipped his tongue into her mouth and they both moaned. He broke the kiss, his chest rising and falling, as if he had run all the way to Carmody and back, she wasn't in any better condition, in fact she looked like she was in pain. "Did I hurt you?" He asked. She shook her head.

"No it's that feeling, it's worse now, when you kissed me." She told him, leaning back against the tree and closing her eyes. 

"Where on or in your body is this feeling coming from?" He asked, he was confused, he hadn't heard about any illness like this. She blushed furiously and kept her eyes closed and whispered her answer so softly, Gilbert was sure of two things only, one: he had probably just climaxed in his pants and two: she had whispered 'vagina'. 

"What do you mean Anne?" He asked gently, he knew about menstruation, but this wasn't any of the known health effects. "You can tell me anything, I won't tell anyone or judge you." He promised. She opened her eyes and after a few moments, she nodded. 

"It feels different there, it feels like its throbbing, and it gets wet with something but not urine or...or..." She was too embarrassed to say it. 

"Clear and odorless?" He asked gently. And she nodded again And then he understood what was happening, arousal. She was in a state of arousal. Knowing she was feeling this caused his own arousal and knowing he was the the likely cause made him harder than he could ever recall feeling. "It's the way your body prepares for intercourse, that liquid makes it easier for a penis, it can hurt if the vagina is not...lubricated." He explained. 

"But I'm not going to have intercourse." She spat out, clearly panicked, standing up, he back against the tree. 

"Of course you aren't. But kissing and touching sends signals to the body that is may occur and to get ready. Your body doesn't know that it would be incredibly improper." He wanted to be improper though, he wanted to lay her down, kiss her senseless, unbutton that dress and..."

"When will it go away?" Anne interrupted. 

He shrugged and smiled wryly, "I can't tell you that. You have to just try and ignore it."

"I can't do this anymore Gilbert, I can't concentrate, I can't go to school like this, I can't sleep." She sounded so tired and desperate, he would do anything to help her. An image popped into his mind and he immediately dismissed it, but it continued to creep back in. It technically wouldn't be wrong, she would keep her virtue. 

"Do you trust me Anne?" He asked her. She frowned at him as she considered his question.

"Yes..."

"I can help you. But Matthew and Marilla wouldn't like it, neither would Bash, Rachel Lynde, Diana or all of Avonlea. You would keep your honor, and I mine, all clothes stay on, but we would still be indecent." He warned. "We would have to keep it a secret, out reputations would be destroyed. "

"I don't understand. It sounds dangerous." She whispered but he could see she was so close to accepting.

"Not physically dangerous. I won't make you. You decide." He wanted to plead with God to make her say yes, however this wasn't something you asked God for. 

"Alright. Help me Gilbert." She looked terrified, he understood that, he was so scared he began to tremble, nothing would be the same after. 

"May I?" He asked, indicating he wanted to take her hands, she held them out and he pulled her toward him, when her chest was against his, he spun around so his back was against the tree. "If you don't like this or want to stop, we will." She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, he slid his hands to her hips, her breath already quickening. He knew he couldn't rush it, and scare her or leave her in a worse state, but they couldn't dawdle, not many people used these woods but it was still risky. He kissed her, feeling her lean into him, melting against his chest, eagerly opening her mouth, for his tongue and trying a few tentative dips of her own. When he thought she was comfortable, he moved his leg so it was between her legs and guided her hips so her core would come in contact with his thigh. She gasped at the pressure, and he pressed her hips back and forth, showing her the rhythm, always a quick learner, Anne began to grind against him, setting her own pace. She clung to him, her face in the crook of his neck, he hot, ragged breath heating him up, the mewling had grown into full fledge moans that were accentuated by little gasps and breaths. She picked up speed, lifting her face to look at him.   
"Gilbert?" She whispered, unsure of what was coming. 

"Let it happen, you'll feel better after." He urged her on, they locked eyes, and he dug his fingers into her hips as she rode his leg. He thought she was close, when she suddenly stopped and stepped back from him a bit, not leaving his embrace though. 

"Wait." She panted and maneuvered the skirt part of her dress, up and over his leg, and then climbed back on his thigh and resumed her ride. He realized that only his pants and her underclothes, separated their skin and he could feel, intense heat, like the sun in Trinidad or the fires on the ship, soaking into his leg. "Gil...Gilbert." She called to him, she sounded nervous but she wasn't slowing down. "I feel something." And she buried her face into his shoulder and let out a long noise that was almost a scream, he knew for sure that he came at that same moment, felt the warm stickiness in his underwear. 

"You are my very own Aphrodite," He whispered with reverence and awe. He kissed her once more and then helped her straighten up. "Now lets get you to Green Gables before Matthew starts to worry."

"I don't think I can walk yet." She admitted. 

"Shall I carry you?" He offered and she laughed, shaking her head.

"What was that?" She asked him, "That was amazing. I saw colours I didn't know existed. " Gilbert swallowed a chuckle.

"The female orgasm. When the clitoris is stimulated in a pleasurable way, a woman feels immense pleasure. Some doctors don't think it's real, and the ones that do, don't know why they happen."

"Clitoris?"

"A nub, bump, between your...." He raised his eyebrows and she smiled, shyly, nodding she knew what he spoke about. 

"How did you know how to do that? Have you had intercourse, before?" Gilbert debated whether he should tell her about the way the other stokers talked onboard that ship. While he may have been repulsed by their crude language, he had listened to them all the same. He would never tell her about the time for Bash's birthday, the other stokers took him and Gilbert to a Whorehouse in New Orleans, and while he hadn't participated, he had seen things, he didn't know people not only did, but enjoyed. 

"No, I have never laid with a woman, nor kissed one until you. Are you OK?" He asked, worried she would regret what happened. 

"I feel great. Like I could fly." She smiled. 

"How about walking." She took his hand and allowed him to lead her to Green Gables, dropping his hand, far enough away that no one would see them, if they happened to look their direction. 

"See you at school, Anne."

"Thank you Gilbert." She smiled before she turned and walked the rest of the way home.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am literally devastated by 3X6 and have found it incredibly hard to concentrate on this story. Like WTF Gilbert??!! Thank you all for the amazing feedback and comments, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Anne fairly floated for the rest of the day, and slept deeply and woke so refreshed the next morning, that she bolted from her bed, opened the window and greeted the Snow Queen with an abundance enthusiasm. "Greatest of mornings, beautiful Snow Queen! The air smells so sweet and clear. I have a feeling this is going to be a wonderful day, filled with endless possibilities."

If Matthew and Marilla noticed that her mood improved they didn't comment, Marilla did have to remind Anne a few times to chew with her mouth closed and to sit still while eating. "What's gotten into you child?" Marilla asked her. Anne just shrugged and tried not to make Marilla cross anymore. She gathered her lunch basket and her books and headed off to school. 

She cheerfully walked the usual path to school, toward her meeting place with Diana, stopping when she came to the area of the woods where she and Gilbert had left the path the day before and....what had they done? She didn't know the words for it, not intercourse, she knew that much now, thanks to Gilbert. She had thought on it of course, falling asleep to the memory of the feelings, with a smile on her lips. But she was able to think of their kisses and her "female orgasm" without any of the extreme feelings she had previously experienced, instead of an uncomfortable need, she smiled dreamily. Here in the woods, not far from the scene of their...tryst? She couldn't help the emotions that flooded her. Gilbert had kissed her, her first kiss, and many more had followed. She touched her lips at the memory of how it felt, remember how he had trailed kisses down her neck, the stubble on his face had caused her to gasp. She had wanted more, needed more, but she didn't know what it was she was craving, she felt so many things at one time, like a tightly coiled spring, about to snap, like a crazed, frantic person, she couldn't keep her mind or self together but more, she had wanted to take off her clothes and let Gilbert Blythe move between her legs and...

"Anne!" She heard Diana call from farther down the path, she could see the flash of Diana's blue dress. She smiled widely at her Bosom friend and ran down the path to meet her, running straight into her arms and hugging her ferociously. "Oh Anne, I missed you so much."

"I missed you too Diana. More than I can express." Diana, had been away in Charlottetown, with her family, her mother was having a new wardrobe made for Diana to take with her to Finishing School in Europe. Anne wondered if she should tell Diana about what happened with Gilbert but immediately decided not too, it was beyond inappropriate and indecent, hadn't Gilbert told her Diana, would be vexed to learn about it. They linked arms and continued on the way to school, Diana conveying some messages from Cole and Aunt Jo. 

They greeted Tillie and the Pauls, outside of the schoolhouse and climbed the stairs, Anne spotted Gilbert sitting at his desk, as soon as Diana opened the door, were his shoulders always so wide? Anne knew how strong he was, she had felt the hard muscles, in his back and arms, while she had clung to him, had felt just how strong and hard the muscle in his leg was when she had...

"Anne, is everything alright?" Diana, asked her, and she realized she was standing there, staring at Gilbert's back. Of course, when he heard her name, he turned around and their eyes met, she felt her face blush furiously and he raised an eyebrow at her and nodded a greeting, with a big smile. "Anne?" She dragged her eyes from him and turned to her very best bosom friend.

"Sorry Diana, I just remembered, I forgot to give you a story I wrote especially for Cole." She lied, hoping that her blush would disappear. Diana, seemed to fall for her excuse and Anne, rushed to hang up her hat and take her seat, they didn't make it to their spots before Gilbert blocked their paths. "Good morning Diana, Anne." 

"Good morning Gilbert. How was your weekend?" Diana inquired politely, always a paragon of manners and grace. Anne noticed that Gilbert blushed at the question, and he swallowed several times, his Adam's apple, bobbing up and down, looking everywhere but at Anne. 

"Wonderful, got a lot of work on the farm done, it's going to be a very profitable crop. And you missed a wonderful sermon at church." He finally regained his composure. Anne, tried to keep a matching blush from her face, refusing to think about how Gilbert's hands had gripped her hips and the small bruises she had seen on them from where his fingers had held her so tightly. She refused to think about how soft the curls on his head felt and how his lips had literally tasted like honey. And she definitely wasn't remembering how his breath felt on her neck and ears, nope, she wasn't thinking about that at all. 

"Where is your head today Anne?" Diana, interrupted her again and the blush did come then. 

"It must be the weather, Diana, it is so beautiful outside, I wish we could go explore."

"Oh I agree, I saw some beautiful sights, yesterday in the woods." Gilbert grinned and Anne could have smacked him with her slate again. 

"Oh, what did you see?" Diana asked politely and Anne almost cried tears of relief when Miss Stacey entered the room and indicated everyone should take their seats. 

The day passed quickly, without incident, and to her great relief, she was able to concentrate on her schoolwork, even while sneaking glances at Gilbert. She was more than a bit saddened when she noticed him gather up his things and leave school quickly, without saying goodbye to her, but she knew he was busy on his farm with Bash. And with The Barrys offering to help them export their apples and honey to England, there was even more pressure on the two men. She bid goodbye to Miss Stacey and linked her arm with Diana and they set off for home, normally Diana would set a leisurely pace, sharing stories and giggling with Anne, but today Diana was in a hurry to get home, she had promised her mother she would get in some extra practice on the piano. They separated, after hugging and vowing to remain friends forever, despite the distance and ocean that would keep them apart when Diana went to finishing school. 

"Miss Eugenia Clayton's School for Young Ladies." Anne muttered to herself. What a ridiculous name. Anne was sure it was a beautiful mansion, covered in Ivy, that had elegant furniture, marble floors and glistening chandeliers, but she hated it on principal. She refused to let the thought of Miss Eugenia, ruin her good mood and continued on home to Green Gables, secretly hoping Gilbert would meet her on the path, not only did she have more questions for him, she hoped he might kiss her again. She made it all the way to Green Gables, with no sign of Gilbert, and she couldn't help the little stabbing of pain she felt in her heart. 

She spent most of her evening, catching up on homework and helping Marilla with supper, glancing often out the window, hoping she would see Gilbert, walking up to the door. He didn't and tried to ignore the twisting of her stomach, maybe he was ashamed of what they had done. He had a perfect reputation as a polite and gentlemanly young man, what if he was angry that Anne put that at risk. She decided she would try and talk to him tomorrow at school, just to make sure he wasn't mad or disappointed in her.

As luck would have it, Gilbert met her on the path to school, not so much luck, since Anne left earlier than she normally did, waited where she knew he would join with her path and hoped she would catch him. She smiled widely at him, feeling her breath hitch at the smile he returned. He wasn't mad at her. "Good morning Anne, you're earlier than usual." 

"I was hoping to catch you alone." She admitted, moving to walk beside him, close enough their arms brushed. She tried not to frown when he moved away enough to create a respectable distance between them. 

"Oh?"

"I just wanted to be sure, you were alright. You aren't cross with me or ashamed." She admitted easily. It had always been so hard to say what she was feeling to Gilbert, she could talk for hours with him about academia, trees, stories and any number of things, but to reveal her emotions had always been difficult. He stopped walking then, turning toward her.

"Of course not, it was amazing, beautiful...you were beautiful." He answered earnestly, and she felt her stomach flutter and a blush spread across her cheeks. "I should ask how you are."

"Wonderful..." She replied, stepping toward him, hoping to feel his chest against hers and to feel his lips on hers. He held his smile but stepped back, but took her hands in his and gave them a reassuring squeeze. 

"I'm glad Anne." He held her gaze for a few moments and then said "Miss Stacey will be waiting for me, I..we shouldn't keep her." Anne followed him, but couldn't keep the frown from her face. He wasn't mad at her, he seemed to genuinely like her still, but was he avoiding touching her? 

"Gilbert..." He turned to look at her, a warm smile on his face that reached his eyes. "Would you want to kiss me again?" He stopped walking, and his mouth dropped open. "Was that too forward?" She asked nervously, scared now of his reaction.

"Perhaps a bit, for most girls but certainly not for the bride of adventure." He reassured her. "And I do want to kiss you again, but..."

"Why is there always a but? Why do things have to be so mysterious and difficult. If I want a kiss, why can't I ask for one? Or take one? Why is there so much choreography to all this?" She ranted, not mad at him but at the circumstances that society placed them in. 

"I don't know Anne, but I do know that there are rules, and we could get into a lot of trouble if we keep breaking them. We should be very careful, I would never want to damage you reputation and standing in Avonlea." He explained and it made her heart sing that he cared so much for her, and many images of Gilbert protecting and standing up for her flashed through her mind. 

"I know that, and we don't have to do what we did before. But a kiss or two, discreetly, no one would know about those." She should have been mortified by her actions, arguing with Gilbert Blythe, of all people, to kiss her.

"I don't want to stop myself from kissing you Anne, but we will be smart about this. We can't arrive at school, hair and clothes in disarray or lips swollen from kissing." She nearly swooned at the idea of swollen lips. And curse him for always being so level headed, her inability to curb her spontaneity often got her into trouble. "Let's meet in the same spot on the way home, after Diana goes her way, we can have a few minutes before we are missed at home." She should have been ashamed by how eagerly she nodded her agreement. He tucked a stray strand of hair, behind her ear, before he dropped a very quick and soft kiss on her mouth. And then continued on the way to school. 

Gilbert found it near impossible to focus on anything Miss Stacey was saying, all he could think of was Anne, he spent most of the time before even started, thinking of words to describe her, incredible, exuberant, intelligent, glorious, awesome, beautiful, other worldly. He hadn't gotten any of his Queens prep work done, his stolen looks at Anne, showed him she was absorbed with her work, and that made him happy, he loved seeing her succeed and challenge him to do better, be better. He had counted the minutes until school let out, ravenous to feel Anne's lips against his own, but reminded himself again, to take caution, be smart, don't get caught. He waved goodbye to Miss Stacey as he packed up his things, grabbed his hat and almost ran off, excited to meet Anne. He arrived at the spot where he had met Anne, earlier that day, and stood behind some trees, just incase someone else was on the path. He could hear them, Anne and Diana, their laughter and giggles, echoing off the trees, he could easily imagine Anne was a forest sprite, so at home in the woods. He saw that she was alone, looking around for him, when he stepped out and made his presence known. 

"There you are." She smiled, immediately changing course and moving toward him. He took her hand and led her deeper into the forest, away from the path most people used, to a thick stand of trees, where the only way they would be found was blind luck, of just stumbling upon them. They put their things on the ground and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest, his nose against her hair, her arms around his waist. He remember the first time they held each other, when Anne had hugged him, Mary was dying, Gilbert was afraid, heartbroken and guilt ridden, standing in the field outside of his home he had broken down in front of her and cried, she hadn't hesitated, she had taken him into her arms and allowed him to cry, provided him with something he hadn't had in years, physical comfort. He had forgotten how the compassionate arms of someone who cares for you could feel, so warm and safe and loved. She had made him feel brave, he had wiped the tears from his eyes and together they had faced Mary's fate. 

Now her arms made him feel reckless, he walked her backward until, she was against a tree, then he pulled back, just a bit, just enough to look into her eyes, those fathomless oceans of blue, he took her face carefully in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. It seemed easy to forget they were both new to kissing, only had their first ones two days before but it was all too easy to move his lips against hers, to feel her lips part and allow their tongues to dance, breath mingling, hearts beating. When he felt himself begin to harden, he stopped, resting his forehead against hers as he caught his breath and willed himself to go down. 

"I experiencing those feelings again, not as bad as before, I can manage, but you were right, we can't get out of control again." She panted, her eyes closed still.

"Miss Anne Shirley-Cuthbert freely admits that I am right for once and they is nary another soul around to witness it!" He exclaimed with a laugh. She chuckled and lightly smacked his arm. 

"I'll never admit it again." She teased back. "Can we sit for a little? I wanted to ask some more questions."

"Your questions may be the death of me Anne, but ask away." As he took her hand in his, he fully expected her to hesitate and to build her courage, the way she previously had but she surprised him again. 

"You never answered me, how did you know how to do that? Is it in a book? If there are no other girls or experience, how could you do that so...effectively?" He felt his heart swell with pride, she wanted to know how he was so good at it. 

"It is definitely not in a textbook, at least not one I ever saw. There are certain books, that would make the entire town of Avonlea faint in shock and outrage, books that describe things like that in detail, again, I haven't read one, or even seen one but I have heard about them from others." Billy Andrews being the other, he had bragged about a book he got from a cousin in Halifax, a book where a wealthy widow took a string of young lovers, both male and female. Gilbert hadn't believe such things were possible, until he had seen it with his own eyes at the whorehouse in New Orleans. "On the ship, the other men, not Bash of course, but some of the others, were vocal about their experiences and shared them with great enthusiasm. I remembered that story, I hope you don't mind, and thought you could get a release from it. As for being effective...dumb luck?" She laid her head on his shoulder, seeming to think it over.

"What is in the textbooks?" 

"It's all very scientific, you've seen that. Diagrams and descriptions."

"Is that all there is? What we've done, plus intercourse?" His thumb stopped tracing her knuckles and he swallowed deeply, willing himself to answer her and not show her, willing himself not to get hard. 

"There is more, there are acts that some may participate in, others may not even know about them, or if they do, perhaps find them repugnant."

"Do you? Find them repugnant?" She asked, looking up at him. He left out a small laugh, shaking his head.

"When I heard the other men, on the ship, speaking like that, I did. I was disgusted by what seemed like depravity but now, I don't know. I guess not." He wanted to do them to her, to feel her skin and taste her flesh.

"What were they? What did they say?" She whispered, and he knew they were in dangerous territory. If she kept looking at him like that, with those eyes and her full pink lips and whispering in the breathy voice, he was going to do more than kiss her. He practically leaped away from her, standing up and pacing. Ignoring the surprise on her face.

"Here's the thing Anne, I will answer your questions, I have already promised that. But I can't think about those things, talk about those things with you, here, alone in the woods, in my arms. It's too tempting, so we will find a place, a tree to sit under at Green Gables, we will be in plain sight, we will have space between us and we will talk about these things and no one will know the topic, it will be very civilized and even Rachel Lynde, couldn't fault us for our propriety. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Alright, tomorrow, we will sit and talk. All or any questions may be asked." He held his hand out to help her up and when she was on her feet, he pulled her in for one last breathtaking kiss.

After he dropped her at the treeline near Green Gables, he went home and worked all the pent up frustration he felt, off in the fields, staying out later than Bash, eating quickly, finishing up his schoolwork and dropping into a fitful sleep filled with a beautiful, red haired forest witch, who enchanted him with her blue eyes and red lips.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe the response to this. Thank you all so much for the hits, comments and kudos. Thank you so much and hope you like the new chapter.

When Marilla found out Gilbert was coming by after school to "help Anne with her math lesson", and they were planning to sit outside in the shade of the big Northern Red Oak, she had muttered it sounds like a picnic and insisted Anne repay Gilbert's kindness with a snack and a soft blanket to sit on. So earlier Marilla prepared some sandwiches, cheese, boiled eggs and some apple tarts, the preserves made the previous fall with apples from Gilbert and Bash's orchard. Matthew and Marilla stood on the porch, watching Anne and Gilbert laugh as they tried to spread the blanket out in the shade, only for a gust of wind to blow it away, before Gilbert chased it down and they got it into place and sat down.

"Won't get much math work down, without her books." Matthew commented, pointing over his shoulder, to Anne's pile of books and slate, still on the kitchen table.

"That boy is courting her and neither of them are aware of it." Marilla, huffed out. "Maybe you should speak to him about it Matthew." Matthew's eyes got big and round and he shook his head quickly and then walked quickly off toward the barn, muttering something about Jerry needing help. "Maybe I will have to..." Marilla said to herself, with one more look to the pair under the tree.

Urethra, labia, uterus, those words floated around in Anne's brain, she had so many more words and a deeper understanding. Gilbert had brought the book and had allowed her to look at it as long as she wanted, while asking questions. She had always thought that urine, blood and babies came from the same place, now she knew that urine came from an entirely different place.

"What a wonder, a woman's body is." She didn't even mean to say it out loud.

"I can't help but to agree. The amount of physical changes a woman goes through to have a baby, and then when she delivers..." He trailed off, trying to keep thoughts of Anne, holding their child in her arms, out of his head.

"You helped with Mary and Delphine, didn't you?" She asked him, he would be an exceptional doctor. Still so young but already so compassionate and thoughtful. 

"I did, although that wasn't my first experience with delivering a baby."

"What? Gilbert Blythe, the longer I know you, the more I think you may be the mystery wrapped in an enigma." She laughed and he joined her. "You simply must tell me."

"During a stopover in Trinidad, a woman was in labour and had nowhere to go, no one to help her. So Bash and I did." Even though he explained it matter of factly, Anne sensed there was more he wasn't telling her. 

"What is it like?" She asked. "It seems magical and terrifying."

"It's both those things. She was scared and in a lot of pain and then two strange men were trying to get her to lay down and....Bash still makes fun of me for asking if I could examine her, under her skirt." His face turned a brilliant shade of red and Anne felt her own face, beginning to burn. 

"Examine? Oh..." She had no words to form what she wanted to know. What had it looked like? She had never even seen fully how she looked, her vulva, she knew that word now too. 

"I didn't actually look. Just did it by feel." He grimaced, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. "Dr Blythe, blindly delivering babies."

"So you've never seen a woman, unclothed." The statement was more of a question. She noticed him squirming, he wasn't a good liar, he was far too honest, he withheld his opinions and feelings but never outright lied, and he was withholding now. "Have you? You have." She whispered more than a little scandalized, intrigued and jealous of this...these...unknown women.

"Once, I saw many women, in various states of undress." He admitted. He must have seen she was surprised by this and she had a million questions for him, he continued. "In a New Orleans brothel. 

"A house of ill repute!" Anne could have been knocked over by a warm breeze she was so surprised. The good and decent Gilbert Blythe had been in a brothel. Had seen naked women, naked..whores. "You really have seen the world."

"Let me explain Anne, I didn't know we were going there, I was with my crew from the ship, it was to celebrate Bash's birthday, I thought we were going to a tavern, but if you think Avonlea is a place where people like Bash are not accepted, the American South is another place entirely. The brothels are the only place that isn't segregated. Bash and I had a few drinks and then left, neither of us partook in the other offers."

She was so relieved to hear that Gilbert hadn't sought out the brothel, that she was quiet for a few moments, he was still good and decent. Traveling the world, had only made him a better person, and she felt her crush for him grow just a little bit more. "What was that like? I admit I tried to imagine it over the years. At the orphanage, when some of the girls got too old to stay there, they left and matron told us that the brothel in Halifax is where they ended up. Told us that is where we would all end up. I didn't know what went on there but I knew the words and that they were bad, not a place I wanted to go. I pictured, a dark dungeon, where we would be made to clean all day and night and not fed enough."

"I don't know about the one in Halifax but the one in New Orleans was in a big two story mansion, right on Bourbon Street, it was beautiful inside, if not for the naked women, one might even say elegant. One of the serving girls, told me the wallpaper was imported from Italy and the lingerie from Paris. The women seemed healthy and happy, but could they be? Really?"

"Lingerie?" She asked, it sounded so elegant.

"Underthings, worn by women to entice men." He tried to describe, and Anne thought of Josie Pye, explaining what a trousseau was. So women at the brothels just wore their underthings, or less. 

"Tell me more. What went on there? How does it work?" She wanted to know everything, what colour was the wallpaper? All the sights, sounds, smells, she wanted to be able to picture it.

"It looks just like an ordinary house, white, wrap around porch on the second level, they even have men that look like butlers at the doors, dressed in expensive suits, they are the security, they are posted everywhere in the house. If a man gets out of line or too drunk, he is hauled away and thrown out."

Once inside, you can go into several main floor rooms, a ball room, where the women dress up in evening gowns, dance with the men, to a stringed quartet, hoping to attract their business. Another room is just like living room, a very fancy and elegant one, with sofas, arm chairs, chaise lounges, a grand piano in the corner, being played by a woman with nothing on." Anne wanted to ask more but let him continue. "Another room was set up like a tavern, a bar along one wall, tables filled with men and women, drinking, laughing and gambling. One room we passed was filled with red silk, and gold dragons and hazy smoke floating on the ceiling and escaping the door when opened, it smelled sweet, one of the guys said it was opium." 

"You were in an opium den?" If Anne learned anything today, it would be to never be surprised by what Gilbert Blythe has seen and done. He had been back in Avonlea for over a year and she was just now hearing about his real adventures. She longed to cut her hair off again, dress as a boy and hop a steam ship to the farthest port and live a life of adventure.

"I didn't go in, just passed by. " He reassured her.

"You sound so unaffected by it all. Surely you were...moved, in some way."

"Of course I was moved. I'm from Avonlea, we don't have a lot of opium dens and whorehouses here. I have just had a lot of time to no longer be affected by it. "

"Alright, tell me the one thing you would never repeat or tell anyone, except me under duress, that you saw there. Something that would shock Rachel Lynde, she would never recover." She leaned forward slightly, eager to hear what he would say, what would have moved the unflappable Gilbert Blythe, and would he really tell her. She watched as his eyes, darted around, avoiding hers, he grabbed at the hem of his trousers and began picking at a stray thread. "Just tell me, I can't promise I won't be shocked but I do promise to never repeat it to a living soul."

He slowly exhaled and looked upward, as if seeking advice from the heavens first. "I saw many things Anne and all of them were shocking, stupefying to me. Women and men, kissing outright, men touching women, all over their bodies, no clothes to act as barriers, women had their hands down the front of men's pants, I saw men suckling at a woman, as babies are supposed to and..." Anne realized she was holding her breath, she felt that aching throb between her legs but stayed very still, as to not spook Gilbert. "There was a room, a few guys took me into, you had to pay an extra nickel to go in there, to watch."

"Watch?" Did he mean intercourse? Watch a man and a women do that?

"There were people everywhere, on the floor, tables, furniture, writhing and moaning. Men between the legs of the women, thrusting, I didn't know it could be so..aggressive. But they seemed to like it, the women, they urged the men on, faster, harder. A man was sitting in a big chair, almost a throne in appearance, and there were two women, kneeling in front of him, licking his...penis, taking it into their mouths and sucking." Anne didn't know what to think or say at this point, when she had asked to be scandalized, she could never have imagined this, but each image he shared, seemed to send a shocking jolt, out from her clitoris, down her legs and up her body. But now that Gilbert was finally letting out the things he had witnessed, there was no stopping him. "I saw men and women, having intercourse, in different positions, women on top..riding the men, men behind the women, like when animals mate, women with women and men with men..." Anne knew this was a thing, her beloved Aunt Josephine and Cole, her kindred spirits, felt attraction for their own gender, but she had never once considered that acts might occur. "The men that were watching were...pleasuring themselves. And I saw a woman, she had no clothes on, apart from a skirt that was pushed up around her waist, she was laying back on a table, a man, his face between her thighs, he was...kissing and licking her there." 

He finally looked up from his stray thread, the hem of his pants, ruined, he had pulled out all the neat stitching, Anne couldn't look away from his eyes, warm amber pools, like honey, mixed with green and blue, his intense look sending more shocking jolts through her body than his images did. Anne wanted to kiss him again, ride him again, or like the whore in New Orleans, have him put his mouth on her. She didn't know how it would feel, and she should be repenting now for feeling this way but she couldn't stop the want she felt for him. Gilbert was right again, they could never talk like this alone in the woods. "I've scandalized you." He said wryly, looking at her face. She shook her head and then changed her mind, nodding.

"You have, but not in the way you think. How do you live each and every day with those images in your head. How do you focus?"

"I admit, it took some time, but I had so much time on the ship, just adding shovelful of coal after shovelful to the fire. I thought about it a lot. I was repulsed, that wasn't how decent men and women acted, and I still believe that today, I don't judge them too harshly, I have learned how lonely life can be and if fifty cents can alleviate someone's loneliness, who am I to really judge them?"

"And now?" She couldn't stop herself from asking. 

"Now I think if a man and a woman were married and in love, I think some of those things might be beautiful." She felt her heart flip flop, how could she deny her feeling for him? He bared his soul, and spoke to her like no one else would, not to shock or hurt her, not to scare her into preserving her virtue, he spoke to her as an equal, someone to share his experience with. 

"I do too." The sat for a while longer, Anne looking through the textbook again, he was right, there wasn't any real information regarding the acts. Just medical explanations on the parts of the body and how they worked. She repeated his words again and again in her mind, until a new thought sprung up. 

"Gilbert?" He was reclining, with his back against the tree, eyes closed as he rested in the warm breeze, he cracked his eyes open and raised an eyebrow, waiting for her next question. "What did you mean the men were pleasuring themselves?" He groaned in defeat and bumped his own head gently back against the tree. 

"Here I thought, you were finished, for the day at least." He muttered.

"You did promise, all and any questions." She repeated his own words back to him. 

"I know Anne, I know." He replied, he knew better than try and fight her. He sat up, fixed his cap so it wasn't totally over his face and thought about where to begin. "You know that feeling you had, on Sunday, in the woods?" She nodded, how had that only been two days ago? "Well men feel that way too, and they can stroke, or pet, themselves to a similar release."

"Oh. Do you...?" He didn't know if she was asking if he needed to do it now, or had ever done it or did it regularly. 

"I have. Most boys do it as they begin puberty." He used another word, he knew she just learned from the book. "It's not something I want to do, but I have."

"Why wouldn't you want to feel that way? It was wonderful. I wish I could make myself feel like that." He chuckled at her words, why was it considered wrong?

"You can Anne, women can pleasure themselves too." He knew that wasn't acceptable in society but if Anne could relieve herself, it would hopefully keep her from being manipulated by nefarious men.

"I tried that, it didn't work." She admitted with a furious blush. 

"You just didn't know what to do, what felt right." He was imagining her, legs spread, her hand working between her thighs, it made him instantly hard. 

"I don't know..."

"Are you telling me there is something Anne Shirley-Cuthbert can't learn?" He knew it was playing dirty, bringing up their rivalry.

"If I wanted to I could." She responded, and he felt himself twitch at her look of indignation. He had discovered that her unbridled emotions, when directed at him, be it joy or rage, were the strongest aphrodisiacs. If he teased her a bit more to evoke those responses, he could forgive himself. 

"I know you could Anne. " He replied, just as Marilla rang the supper bell. He helped her pack up the basket, blanket and stowed the medical book, back in his bag and walked her to the door. 

"Will you stay for supper Gilbert?" Marilla asked through the screen. 

"Thank you Miss Cuthbert, but I had better get on home. Those chores won't finish themselves. "Good day Miss Cuthbert, Anne." And with a slight bow and a tip of his hat, he left Anne on the porch, wishing he could have taken her into his arms and kissed her senseless.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's late, life is too hectic! This one is almost all smut, not a lot of plot. Thanks again for the comments, hits and kudos, you guys are the best.

Anne and Gilbert spent the next few weeks in a pattern, a routine, that they kept hidden from their families and the rest of Avonlea. On school days, Anne would arrive at school to find a shiny apple on her desk and at lunch he would find a cookie, or a tart or even a slice of cake, hidden in his coat pocket. After school ended, the days when there was a study group, Gilbert always offered to walk Anne home, in front of the others and Miss Stacy, it made sense for a young girl on the cusp of womanhood to have a strong man accompany her. On days when there was no study group, Gilbert would wait for Anne to say goodbye to Diana, and meet her in their secluded forest, hideout. They would spend no more than fifteen minutes, kissing and talking, before they had to get back to their respective homes and chores. On Saturday and Sunday, both would be busy with a heavier load of chores, and Sunday was a day for church and family activities, still they managed a couple of hours with each other, the Cuthberts were used to Anne going off to explore the island on her own, and as long as the chores and work was done, Bash never complained when Gilbert needed alone time. Beyond kissing each other breathless, Gilbert refused to do anything else, holding hands, stroking her hair and caressing her arms and shoulders, was the only physical contact he would allow himself to have, and he kept her hands above his waist too, despite her begging him to let her explore. 

And while no one suspected they were meeting in the woods, the whole schoolhouse, and Avonlea, through gossip, knew something between them had changed. No one could put a finger on it, Gilbert was polite to a fault with Anne, as he always had been, Anne stilled yelled at him during heated debates, they both still studied hard, wanted to be number one in their class. Their long lingering looks, were not unnoticed, in secret the girls all swooned how Gilbert looked at Anne, even Ruby had accepted that she would never have Gilbert's heart and wished the pair would also accept it. The boys learned to keep all comments about Anne to themselves, when Charlie had dared to say Anne would look prettier with her hair up, Gilbert had grabbed him by the collar and shoved him up against a tree, whispering that he should have more respect for their female classmates, everyone knew that Anne was Gilbert's. The boys had even started a bet for when their official courtship would begin, Moody was not so subtlety dropping hints for a final day of school announcement, from them.

It was on a sunny, warm Saturday, late in the afternoon, they met at their usual spot, Anne jumping into Gilbert's arms and kissing him. He allowed himself to enjoy her attention, letting her take the lead, opening his mouth to her demanding tongue, one of her hands curled into his hair, the other grasping a handful of his shirt. "I had a dream about you." She said against his lips and he couldn't help the smile he now kissed her with. 

"Was I a dashing knight, rescuing you from a tower?" He asked, expecting a romantic adventure. 

"No," Well that was a real kick in the pants, he thought." I mean you could have been, we never discussed your occupation." She answered.

"Oh? What did we talk about then?" 

"There wasn't much talking, lots of kissing, and touching...and licking." She followed up each word by doing the action on him, kissing his jaw, touching his chest and licking his neck, just below his ear. He felt his heart begin to pound and the blood rush from his head to his...

"We should stop." He said gently, easing her away from him slightly. 

"Not yet." She persisted. 

"Anne, we both agreed to be careful. We can't get out of hand." Although he desperately wished to get himself, part of himself, into her hands. She pouted but allowed herself to move back. "Why don't we go for a walk." She nodded and he took her hand, leading her through the trees, not going to the path but roaming the woods. 

"Are you going to finish telling me about that dream?" He teased, really wanting to know.

"Well...we were in a big fancy bedroom, one at Aunt Jo's in Charlottetown, it was after one of her soirees and we announced we were going to bed, no one batted an eye, just wished us a good night." Gilbert blushed at the idea of him casually leading Anne up to his bed. "When we got there, the bedroom, you pulled me into your arms and kissed me, and you began to undo the buttons on my dress, and I was pulling your jacket off." She squeezed his hand, and he brought their joined hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

"The whole time you did that." She indicated to his kiss, "You would drop kisses everywhere, my shoulders, neck, arms...bosoms." Gilbert lifted an eyebrow, how he would love to kiss every inch of her. "And you led me to the bed, I sat on the edge, you kneeled in front of me, between my legs and you...you kissed me there." She actually panted and trembled at the memory and Gilbert could not stop his mind from envisioning it. Long, creamy legs, speckled with her beautiful freckles, he would kiss her inner thighs, so softly, she would wind her fingers into his hair and when he placed a kiss on her, she would moan his name. 

"Jesus..." For the first time in his life, Gilbert cursed in front of a lady. He had to drop her hand and turn away, his need for her was physically painful. "Anne..." He wanted to beg her to stop, but she didn't, she continued to describe it, in such eloquent detail, he thought he might have dreamed it himself. 

"I wanted to do the same to you, but you wouldn't let go of me, you just kept me there, licking and kissing me. I think I had another female orgasm, is that possible? In my sleep, just from dreaming of such things?" Gilbert recalled his own nocturnal emissions, he had heard Billy call them wet dreams, he figured if a man could experience that while dreaming, so could a woman. 

"Yes Anne, I think it is." He mumbled, trying to compose himself, but unable to remove the image of her at the peak of her orgasm, mouth slightly open, eyes closed, head back, her red hair like a halo of fire in the candle light. He felt himself salivating to actually taste her.   
"In my dreams or my imagination, I have never seen you fully unclothed. I can't imagine what it actually looks like." He could hear a hint of a pout in her voice, she wanted him to show her, had asked a few times.

"It wouldn't be proper Anne, any of it. We aren't married." But the answer seemed so simple, go ask Matthew Cuthbert, right this minute for his permission to marry Anne. But nothing was ever simple, Anne wanted to go to university, wanted a career, and he had years ahead of him with medical training. They couldn't get married, but waiting six years to be with her, just might kill him. 

He was about to start walking again, hoping to change the topic, when he heard a woman laughing, he froze and motioned for Anne to stay quiet. They were behind a fairly thick stand of bushes, just taller than Gilbert, they peered through the leaves and saw the laughing woman, Anne gasped beside him. It was Diana, she was leaning against a tree and the farm boy from Green Gables, Jerry, was pressed up against her, kissing her neck. He was whispering to her in french, and Diana was responding the same way. Gilbert tried to look away when Jerry began to deeply kiss Diana, on the mouth, his right hand, moving to cup her breast, squeezing it, eliciting a moan from her. Anne moved closer to him, so she could whisper right in his ear. "We should go." She was the reddest he had ever seen her blush, and he had seen that countless times. 

"We should stay still, we can't risk them hearing us." He reasoned, she nodded and while he tried to look away, she leaned forward to get a better look, her bottom, accidentally brushing against him, already erect, he twitched at the movement. For the second time in his life, he cursed in front of a lady.

Anne, could not have been more shocked by her response to Gilbert's whispered "Fuck" She had heard it many times over the years, at the asylum, at the Hammond, near the docks in Charlottetown, however the word falling from perfectly proper Gilbert Blythe's lips not only shook her to her core but made a new warm gush between her thighs, she wanted him to say it again. She was distracted by the hard bump that had brushed up against her bottom, it must be his penis, she knew they grew when a man was excited, she tried to take a small step back, wanting to feel it again, but Gilbert also stepped back. She focused again on Diana and Jerry, surprised by this couple, pleased that Diana was also finding someone who could elicit passion, obvious from the noises she was making, but also jealous, Jerry was touching Diana, in a way Gilbert would not allow to happen with Anne. Diana, had one leg, hitched around Jerry's waist, and he was grinding up against her, similar but different to what Anne had done to Gilbert's leg, he had told her it was called frottage but the men on the ship had called it humping. She straightened up and leaned her back against Gilbert's chest, he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her, kissing the side of her head. She could feel his heart pounding and his breath was shallow, he was excited by watching them, so was she. If only they could leave and she could kiss him. But they were stuck there, until Diana and Jerry finished. Jerry's hand had made its way up Diana's skirt and was stroking the small patch of skin above her stockings, Diana made no move to stop his exploration. She wanted desperately for Gilbert to do the same, to explore her and she, him, again, she silently cursed them being stuck there. 

And then it came to her. He would be furious but it would be worth it. She turned quickly in his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly, he squeezed her back, she laid her head against his chest, hearing his booming heart, felt his hand, stroke her hair and took a breath for courage. Keeping her head against his chest, she moved her hand to feel the hard bump in his pants, he tried to scoot back from her but she held on. "Anne..." He warned quietly, her heart flip flopped at the low growl he produced as she continued to hold on to him and cupped her hand to fill it with him. 

"Quiet or they'll hear you." She warned back. And he stilled, his breath coming out in shaky spurts through his nose. She noticed, when she pressed a bit harder and rubbed it up and down with the palm of her hand, he thrust into her. He held her tighter, and she felt his face bury into her hair, breathing her in deeply. But it wasn't enough, she had him here and she was going to do with him what she wanted. He tried to stop her, grabbing her wrist when he realized her plan, but she playfully fought him, pulling her arm away and going back, shushing him while she, slipped her hand into the waist or his trousers. When she took him into her hand, Gilbert stopped struggling, he used one hand to gently grab her chin and lift her eyes to his. 

"It's not proper." He whispered. 

"I don't care." She returned, he nodded his consent and then kissed her, holding her face in his hands while he did. She broke the kiss after a few moments, wanting to see his face, his reaction. Though she couldn't see, what she felt was starting to form a picture in her mind, she felt the soft hair of his stomach, on her arm, the slightly coarse curly hair, against her wrist and his penis. It was so soft, smooth as satin or rose petals but harder than she could believe, like there was iron underneath his skin. And big, much bigger than a babies, how could that fit inside a woman? She felt lower, feeling the testicles, squeezing them softly, he moaned and closed his eyes. He liked that, she squeezed them a bit more, the back of her knuckles brushing against his thighs. This was definitely indecent she thought, just as she moved to wrap her hand around him again, learning to move her hand up and down his length by Gilbert thrusting into her hand. 

"Don't stop, please." He begged against her hair, his arms, holding her tight. In the background she heard Diana laugh again, farther away, they were leaving, Anne moved her hand faster, not wanting to end because they didn't have to be quiet and hide anymore. Gilbert made no move to stop, infact, he sped up his movements, and loosened his hold on her, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his handkerchief, he stuffed his hand into his pants, along with hers and started to moan quietly and his body shuddered several times. He put his hand on hers, to stop the motion, using his other arm to hold her close, kissing the top of her head, panting, trying to catch his breath. He gasped "My God Anne."

She wasn't sure if he was mad or happy with her, but she was beaming, she helped him feel the way she had, indescribable pleasure and sensations, and she got to explore part of him, she considered that a very successful day indeed. She let him pull her hand out of his pants, he looked at her hand and nodded to himself, letting her go and then reached back into his pants and after a few moments of him moving around, he pulled out the handkerchief, folding it up tightly and tucking it in his pocket. The words ejaculate and semen, came to her, thanks to Gilbert's book, this was the fluid that could start a baby. 

"It's not funny Anne." He told her when she couldn't stop smiling smugly, she really did feel pleased with herself.

"I'm not laughing at you, I swear. I'm just thrilled that I got to experience that, that I could help you." She tried to look contrite but the look on his face told her he wasn't buying it for a second.

"I'm glad too. But Anne, we can not do anything like that again. I won't dishonour you or the Cuthberts. In fact this has gone too far, I'll speak to Matthew tomorrow, we can begin formally courting."

Courting, they would be an official couple, they would plan a wedding and a life together. She could just picture everyone's face when she was walking with Gilbert Blythe, her intended. She let her mind play around with many images of the two of them courting, smiling to herself. But then the stern face of Rachel Lynde came rushing to her. If they began courting, and all of Avonlea was aware, they would never be allowed to walk alone together in the woods again, no kissing, no hand holding. The thought of losing that, put a heavy hard knot in her stomach. 

"No you won't. We are not courting." She spat out. He frowned at her, confused, expecting her to be happy with the idea. 

"Anne..."

"No everything changes then. No." She crossed her arms, she was ready for a fight.

"It has to change already. I'm not doing this anymore. I won't." He crossed his arms and Anne easily recognized the look on his face. It was the one he got when he was getting ready to challenge her, in a debate, spelling bee, quiz, she loved a challenge. 

"Fine." She told him. "Have a great day." She told him and whirled away, stomping off through the trees, toward Green Gables. 

Already plotting how she could change his mind.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE!!! It came together pretty quickly so here you go. Thank you all for your support.

And so the battle began. It wasn't outright war, they cared deeply about each other and neither wanted to hurt the other, but Anne didn't want to publicly court and Gilbert's morals and ethics dictated they should do things the proper way. Not much changed outwardly, he still left her apples each morning, she left treats in his pockets, they continued to be polite, no one could put a specific deed or fact to it, but everyone noticed, something had changed. 

Gilbert thought that he could just out wait her, she would come around soon enough, and he promised himself to treat her exactly the same, except no more kissing and definitely no more touching. So after study group he would still offer to walk her home safely, he still nodded and greeted her every morning with a slight nod of his head, and he still met her on the path, walking her to the edge of Green Gables. 

"Let's just go to our place." She begged him again. He shook his head.

"No. I won't ruin you."

"Please, we won't kiss or do anything. I just want you to hold me. I miss it terribly." He missed it too, he wanted to hold her and stroke her hair, but he knew once he touched her, he would have no control. He had already committed two horribly, indecent acts with her, they had been lucky to not get caught. He wouldn't risk her. 

"I'm sorry Anne." He did take her hand, squeeze it reassuringly, and bring it to his lips. "I'll see you tomorrow." He left her then, listening to her call out to him.

"You'll cave sooner or later Gilbert Blythe."

Anne started to play dirty the next day. It seemed innocent enough to anyone else who might be observing, but Gilbert knew straight away a line had been drawn in the sand. He stood by his desk and greeted her and Diana, as he always did, "Good morning Gilbert." She responded normally, but then she moved past him, following Diana, to get to her desk, and brushed against him, quickly and without anyone noticing. He gasped at the brazenness of her action, felt his knees buckle and he sat back down with an undignified plop. 

They were all quietly reading or working on an essay, when he noticed her head was turned toward him, looking up from his book, he caught her eye. She smiled slightly and then looked away, he couldn't look away as she slowly raised her fingers to her lips and began to softly trace them, staring back at her book, as if lost in thought. He willed himself to look away and not to remember how soft those lips were, to forget how they tasted, how they felt against his neck. 

At lunch, he stayed at his desk as was his routine, and the girls gathered in their usual corner. He tried not to listen or look, but when they giggled, he couldn't keep from looking...at her. 

"Anne, you should wear your hair like this all the time. You look so pretty." Diana exclaimed, her hair was unbraided and down, the waves left by the braids cascaded over her shoulders, Diana had used one of her ribbons to tie part of it back, how most of the girls wore their hair. The sun was shining in through the windows and Gilbert was blinded by the light dancing in her hair, not just red, but copper, auburn, honey, strawberry, ruby, and gold, millions of strands of beautiful colours to make up a beautiful crown. His fingers itched to touch it, he gripped his book tighter and the other hand balled into a fist, he wanted to smell it, breathe her in, feel it against his face, against his chest...his stomach. 

"What are you eating for lunch Gilbert?" Moody asked as he walked in from being outside with the other boys, Gilbert usually shared with Moody. 

"Fire..." Gilbert whispered, unable to look away from Anne and her glorious hair. 

After lunch, with her back to him again, and her hair once again bound in twin braids, he noticed her running her fingers up and down one braid, the braid he had once so cruelly yanked. He knew just how silky that braid felt. She glanced over her shoulder, to see if he was watching...he always was, and brushed the back of her knuckles over her cheek and jaw, as he often did when holding her. Shaking his head, to clear those thoughts from his mind, he somehow managed to tear his eyes from her and focused on what Miss Stacey was saying. 

"It's not going to work." He told her when he met her at their usual spot.

"Won't it?" She didn't bother trying to play coy, he loved that about her. 

"We are going to officially court." 

"We are not." She replied, walking toward Green Gables. He followed her. 

"Anne..."

"I am not going to let them tell me, us, how we should behave. How long for a proper courtship, what the acceptable rules and behaviours are. I am not going to let them dictate how I feel about you and make it seem wrong to feel this way. Maybe it's not normal, I don't know. But I am passionate, and sensitive and I've yearned, deep inside of me Gilbert, I have yearned to feel true romantic love. I won't feel anything less and I won't be made to feel ashamed for feeling this way about you." He couldn't love her anymore than he did at that moment and she made so much sense and why should they be ashamed? But he knew, he knew that she would lose everything, and that loss would turn to bitterness for him. 

"Anne, you wouldn't be allowed to teach."

"Then I'll write, under a pseudonym, like George Eliot. "

"You can't throw away your dreams for this, for some...experimentation, in the woods."

"Experimentation? Is that what you think this is about?" Her cheeks flushed with anger and she crossed her arms.

"I don't know Anne. I'm trying to be a gentleman, to protect you, protect us both. I know it feels good, I want to do it again and again, but you must understand, if I allow you to give up your dreams, now at the very beginning of us, of this, how will you forgive me in the future?" The breath he exhaled, was shaky, it sounded like despair to his own ears.

"I vow to never to blame you." She promised, and he huffed out one of his half chuckles. 

"You can't promise that." She fell silent and the resumed walking toward her home. 

"Can we talk under the red oak, tomorrow? I have some new questions." When he hesitated she added. "You promised any time."

"Alright. After School." He took her and kissed it gently, wishing he could say more to her, what was in his heart and make her understand, they had to follow the rules.

Anne didn't tell Marilla, Gilbert would join her afterschool, she didn't want the same fuss as last time. They just arrived together and explained that it was spontaneous, brought on by some particularly vexing algebra. 

"Are you sure you don't want some tea? I made fresh cookies, this morning, Gilbert." Marilla offered, while Anne ran up to her room to put some things away.

"I'm sure they are wonderful, but we accomplished so much, out under that tree, last time. Less distractions and interruptions." He replied smoothly. Marilla nodded with a smile.

"Well I simply insist that you stay for supper then. Perhaps I should have Jerry or Matthew run over to your place and invite Bash and Delphine. It's been ages since we had you over."

"That sounds lovely, Miss Cuthbert, the few meals Bash and I, can prepare confidently are getting monotonous. And there is truly nothing better than Marilla Cuthbert's cooking" Anne, narrowed her eyes at Marilla's beaming smile, was there a woman on the whole Island that could resist Gilbert Blythe's charms? Even she had finally capitulated to him.

"Well, there will be more than enough for you to have some leftovers tomorrow. And you now you are both welcome here anytime for a meal." She handed Gilbert some cookies, wrapped in a towel, and hurried into the barn to see about getting Bash over for supper. 

Anne grabbed a blanket for them to sit on, and they walked out to the huge Northern Red Oak. Anne was eager to sit down and ask him all the questions she had spent the last 24 hours, preparing, with a few new ones, provided by Diana.

It had taken Anne a few days to approach Diana with the topic. Insisting that they spend a couple of hours together after school. They were strolling around the Lake of Shimmering Waters, when Anne finally blurted out that she was secretly meeting with Gilbert in the woods, and they had been talking courtship. Diana's eyes filled with joyous tears and hugged Anne so tightly. 

"It's about time. Are you happy?"

"Yes and no. But..."

"Jerry and I have also been meeting in the woods. I wanted to tell you so much, but I was so afraid you would hate me."

"I know." Anne admitted.

"You know?"

"We saw you."

"You...saw us? In the woods?" Her face blanched and her eyes grew wider than Anne had ever seen them. Anne took Diana's hands and squeezed them reassuringly.

"Just once, by accident. It's alright. I won't judge you harshly." Diana hugged her again. 

"You truly are my very best bosom friend. And Gilbert?" She asked tentatively. 

"Has never said an unkind word about you or Jerry." Anne reaffirmed. "He won't tell anyone."

They had walked and held hands then, revealing their hearts, their hopes and dreams and their fears. Diana worried her family would find out and send her immediately to Europe, Jerry was not going to be considered an appropriate marriage candidate for a Barry. He was too poor, not educated and had no future prospects in supporting Diana in a life the Barrys deemed acceptable. Anne worried Gilbert would grow bored of her antics, her temper, her desire to be an educator, her red hair. 

And they spoke in as much detail as they could about their new found experiences with their men. Diana had gone much further than Anne had, but thanks to Gilbert, Anne had more knowledge about those things. Together, they came up with some more questions to ask Gilbert. And Anne knew that when she asked him those questions, about those topics, it was hard for him to resist touching her, thinking about her. 

They had only just settled on the blanket, when they saw Jerry running through the pasture, toward Gilbert's house. 

"Are there other words for it?" She asked him as he took a bite of a cookie.

"For what?" She loved when he got a confused look on his face, his eyebrows furrowing as he tried to puzzle something out. 

"For intercourse. A penis, vagina, breasts. They all seem so scientific and unromantical." Gilbert chocked on his cookie and Anne leaned forward to make sure he was ok, he held a hand up to reassure her while he dislodged the food and caught his breath. Looking at her with an open mouth stare. 

"Most of the words I have heard are decided unromantical." She could tell he didn't want to say them to her. 

"Honesty Gilbert." She reminded him. "And I already heard you say fu..."

"Anne!" He interrupted. "Marilla would kill us both."

"I'm sure I have heard them all. I just don't know what they mean. I heard that one all the time. I know what that one means now. It can mean intercourse."

"Yes it can."

"I'll just start saying the ones I have heard then." She warned and as she opened her mouth, he held up a hand in defeat. 

"Please don't. Intercourse, coitus, sex, screwing." He listed them off, quickly, then he smiled and looked at her. "Lovemaking." Happy he found a pleasant word.

"Lovemaking. Now that sounds romantical. And I have seen that in books before. I didn't realize it was an actual physical act. I thought making love was two hearts joining together and wanting to spend eternity feeling that way."

"I do too. I think when two people love each other and do it, it is making love." Her heart and stomach fluttered at his words. He really was a romantic at heart. Mr Darcy come to life. But she couldn't be distracted by his hazel eyes, the green that always seem to be brighter or more noticeable when they spoke intimately.

"And a penis?" Gilbert, tilted his head and thought for a few moments before answering. 

"Manhood, member...organ." She narrowed her eyes at him. And he continued, softer this time, looking around first, to be sure no one was around. "Dick, cock." She nodded, she had heard those before. And it wasn't long before she heard boobs, pussy, cum, balls, tits, asshole and she gasped outright at cunt. She had heard it, of course, had been called it by the girls at the asylum, she didn't know what it meant, just that matron had said it was an unspeakable word. She wasn't ready to admit it to even Diana, but she loved the way those words sounded when Gilbert whispered them, out in the warm summer breeze, his cheeks red from blushing, his fingers pulling at a thread in his shirt sleeve. 

She decided to just say the next question with no hesitation, he would try put up a bit of a fight but she always won. "And pleasuring? What I did to you, with my hand and your...prick?" Testing out the new word. 

"Jesus Anne." His head whipped up to look at her, before looking quickly around to make sure no one could have heard her. She struggled to keep the smirk off her face, he may be shocked by her word usage, but either that or the memory of her hand, had the desired effect. His pupils had dilated to double their size, even in the bright sunshine, his hands were shaking and she could see a growing bulge in his trousers. She raised her eyebrow at him, indicating she wanted him to continue. "What you did would be a hand job, or it could be jacking off or jerking off."

"And if you were to do it to me? Would hand job suffice?" She asked him as if she were offering more sugar for his tea. Biding her time...

"No...I have heard only a few for that, jerking off or playing with herself, if the woman does it herself or when a man does it, fingering."

"You have wonderful fingers Gilbert." She noted, he blushed at the connotation and looked down at the subject of her compliment. "I've tried, to play with myself, it gets really wet and slippery. It feels so good, I can feel my body tensing like it did, with you, but nothing comes from it. I just lay there, frustrated and panting, I don't know why."

"Anne.." He breathed out, his mouth hanging open, a glazed look on his face and she knew he was thinking about her, how she looked. She looked around once more, noting no one in the fields, anyone in the forest would be too far away to see, and she had sat so the tree was to her back, blocking the house and the barn from seeing her. 

"Maybe I just need you there." She whispered, slowly, pulling her skirt up her legs. Gilbert's eyes almost popped out of his head, as he watched her stocking covered knees appear, her thighs, the bit of creamy skin, where the stockings stopped, and then the last bit, she had quickly removed her bloomers while in her bedroom. She brazenly revealed her thatch of red hair to him. He just stared, opened mouth, shaking his head, ever so slightly. She ran her hand over her thighs, feeling her soft flesh, noticed his hands move as if to touch too, and then pull back, clenching into fists, his knuckles white. She tickled the soft hair for a second, never taking her eyes off his face, his eyes were darting between her eyes, lips and...pussy. When he licked his lips, she could practically hear the snap of her trap. She spread her legs, just a little, letting him get a decent look and then dipped her fingers in, already she was soaking wet. She circled the nub with her fingers, inhaling slightly at the feeling, the tightness already building, maybe she really did need him there, she hadn't ever gotten so close on her own. She bent her knees and gave him a better look, her hand moving quicker, her eyes never leaving his face, she had him, enraptured and she knew it. She felt like she could take on the world with the power she had over him. 

"Go faster." He whispered and she nodded and complied. She was panting and some soft moans were escaping. 

"Gilbert..." She felt it coming and then it snapped and she cried out softly. 

"Holy fuck..." Gilbert breathed out, while Anne smiled and pulled her skirt down, wiping her hand on her stocking. "You are exquisite." She leaned back against the tree, catching her breath, willing herself to appear normal. She noticed the bulge in Gilbert's pants, and felt guilty. But it was too close to dinner, Bash and Jerry would be back soon and she didn't think there was any way to help Gilbert out at the moment. 

"Will you be okay?" She asked, flicking a gaze to his erection. He closed his eyes and nodded, breathing out deeply and slowly. After several moments he opened his eyes and nodded, 

"We should go inside." He stood up, helped her to her feet and folded the blanket while she waited, then he pushed her up against the tree, out of sight of the house and kissed her deeply. He then took her hand, kissing it, hesitating to let it go and brought it closer to his face, smelling her essence on her fingers. "You will be the death of me Anne Shirley-Cuthbert."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to get this finished before tonight's episode!! It's a long one, but I didn't want to split it in half. Pure smut. Hopefully you all enjoy it. I can not thank you all for the amazing comments. You guys are the best!! 
> 
> Don't worry there is a bit more to this story.

His leg was bouncing as he impatiently waited for the school day to end. He had to get out of the stuffy class and get some fresh air, get away from all the people and noise. He felt like he was going to lose the control he barely had, on not only his body, but his mind. He understood Anne's desperation that day, he felt like he would scream out loud if he didn't find a way to release the pressure building.

It had been excruciating, walking into Green Gables, beside his beautiful goddess, the scent of her still filling his nose, and trying to act normal, like he hadn't just learned the meaning of life. Or the meaning of his life to be more precise, he was destined to be the plaything of Anne, Aphrodite of Avonlea, to worship her, do anything to please her. Marilla had ordered them to wash up for supper and they had shared a secret smile, standing side by side at the sink, soaping up their hands. Bash and Dellie arrived a few moments later and one shared look between him and Gilbert, and Bash raised his eyebrows and smiled but said nothing but to thank Marilla for the invitation. Gilbert was in the middle of eating a bite of chicken, when he realized that Anne hadn't gone back upstairs and was sitting beside him, at the dinner table of Green Gables, with Bash, Matthew and Marilla with no underclothes on under dress. When he started to choke on the food, he honestly thought he was going to die. A couple of hard swats on his back from Anne dislodged the food and Bash teased him about Anne being a better candidate for the future doctor of Avonlea. 

On the way home, he managed to distract Bash with talk about the apples they would be exporting with the Barrys, so that Anne never came up in conversation and then ran up to him room to finish his homework. He waited for Bash to go to sleep and then another twenty minutes, before pulling himself out of his underclothes and beginning to stroke himself, already rock hard. And two more times before he could fall asleep, only to dream of her and wake up and need to do it again. 

He couldn't concentrate at school, Miss Stacey had to repeat instructions for him several times, he dropped his chalk more times than he could count, and though he promised himself he wouldn't look at her, he couldn't take his eyes off Anne. She smiled sweetly, whenever she caught him looking, but seemed to sense that she shouldn't tease him. As soon as they were dismissed, he grabbed his things and ran from the school house. He hid behind a tree, waiting for Anne, his heart pounding, his body tense.

As soon as Diana, was out of sight, he stepped out from behind the tree. "Anne." He called softly.

"Are you alright? You seemed so..."

"Could we go to our spot?" He asked, even though he wanted to grab her and drag her there, he wanted to be sure she was comfortable. It always had to be her choice. She took his hand and nodded, letting him lead her deeper into the woods. When they got there, he dropped his bag and hat on the ground and turned to her. 

" I can not stop thinking about you...what you did." He told her, bringing both hands up to cup her face. He saw her frown, and her eyes well up with tears and he realized that she thought he was mad or disgusted by her. "No, Anne, no. Not in that way. You were beautiful, incredible, I can not stop thinking about it. "

He let her go and began pacing, rubbing the side of his face. "It's scaring me Anne. I want to...but if I do, it changes everything. And that voice inside me, telling me it's wrong and dangerous, is getting fainter and fainter. I don't think I can fight it anymore. How are we supposed to do it... Wait? Courtship and engagement and school. I won't be a doctor for at least six years. I can't wait that long Anne. I thought I could, assumed it would be easy, a few hugs and some stolen kisses, I could bide my time. And now I feel like some animal, unable to control my urges." He turned back to her, still fighting himself to lay her down and sink into her. 

"Gilbert..I" She started to reply, only for him to cut her off again. 

"Four times! Not since I was fourteen, four times in one night." When she looked more confused he added." Masturbation."

"Oh! I see." She nodded and smiled shyly. "Two more times for me." Her admission nearly undid him then, he turned away from her, images of red hair, white skin, soft cries and wet fingers, clouding his mind. He felt her touch his shoulder, and then slide her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his back, squeezing him, he crossed his arms over hers and held her there. 

"I could...I want to help you Gilbert. Will you let me?" She asked softly. And this was the moment for Gilbert, one way he falls over the edge and he risks both of their futures and reputations forever, or he pulls away and has to never be alone with her again, or at least till their wedding night. He needed her so badly, it would be so easy, to pull himself out of his pants and let her...

"I can't resist you Anne." Her hand immediately made for his waistband. He stopped her, turning to face her first, holding her hand in his. "But before we do anything else, I need you to promise me. If we are caught, or even a whiff of suspicion is raised, you'll marry me. It's the only way I can do this in good conscience. I need to know I won't ruin you completely. "

"It's not the romantical proposal I have always imagined." She teased. 

"Don't joke Anne, I'm serious. If the time comes, we go to Charlottetown and get married immediately. If we somehow make it all the way through college, without being discovered, I will have candles, doves, flowers, a choir and the biggest ring I can afford and do it in the most romantic way possible, but today I need that promise from you." 

"I make the most solemn vow, that I will be your wife Gilbert Blythe. If it's tomorrow, next week or 20 years from now." Gilbert, felt his heart surge, that seemed like a declaration of love to him and they had never really spoken about their actual emotional feelings. With all they talked about and did, he had never spoke on his heart.

"I swear it too. I love you Anne, I think I have from the very first moment, in these very woods." And she did get tears in her eyes then. 

" I fell in love with you that day too, the day the most dashing and handsome stranger rescued me from an ogre and offered to slay all the dragons for me." She stood on her toes and kissed him. "If we are caught, we go down together."

The dam burst and he pulled her into his arms, kissing her hard, deep, leaving them both breathless. He felt her hands once more at his waistband and he stopped her again. 

"I thought we decided this already." She complained.

"We have, we will. But there is something I want to do first. If you will allow me. " She raised an eyebrow in question and nodded her agreement. And he slowly walked her back to the nearest tree, dropped to his knees in front of her and put his hand on her calf. "May I?" He indicated he wanted to go higher. She held her breath and nodded, he noticed his hand was shaking and he felt his way up her leg to the bottom of her bloomers, he reached his other hand under and set about trying to undo her underwear, with great difficulty. 

"Let me." She said softly and pulled her skirt and petticoats up to begin taking off the bloomers. He helped her slide them down, butterflies in his stomach, she held onto the skirt with one hand while her other hand moved to his hair, running her hands through his messy mop of curls. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling for a moment taking one of her booted feet in his hand and lifting it, freeing it from the underclothes and repeating it with the other. 

"Any time you want to stop, or don't like it, or get scared or confused or overwhelmed, we can stop. And I won't...we won't...make love. Not until we are married, we can't risk a baby." He held her gaze, making sure she felt safe. 

"Alright." She nodded. He took a steadying breath and let his hands run over her thighs, finally getting to feel her soft skin, she had fewer freckles than he had imagined, he looked higher, her patch or red hair just peeking out below the hem of the skirt, Anne was still holding up. He leaned in and kissed her thigh, using his shoulders to push her legs apart.

"I wish I could do this right, take my time but as it is, we are already staying too late." 

"Next time." She panted "We can take our time." 

"Next time." He promised and with that he leaned in and kissed her, she was already wet, he licked his lips and the taste of her was finer than any mango, apple from his orchard or honey from his hives, her moan as he delved deeper with his tongue spurred him on, he felt his pants grow uncomfortably tight, but he couldn't stop yet. Her hand came down to tangle in his hair again, he could barely breathe but still he licked, nibbled and sucked, using her moans and gasps to be his guide, and still he needed more, he lifted her leg so it rested over his shoulder and continued to dine on her. Never would he have thought he would be between her thighs devouring this woman, one that he had desired for years, he had imagined it, after that night in New Orleans, but he couldn't dream she would ever allow it. When her cries became more frequent and she began to push his head against her, he doubled his efforts, knowing she was close, her knees buckled and he held her up with his shoulders and arms, until she asked him to stop.

"No more Gilbert." She gasped, her breath ragged, he looked up at her, her lips swollen, she must have bitten it while climaxing, he stood up and helped her lower her skirt, holding her, wanting to kiss her but unsure if she wanted him to with his face still wet with her essence. He wiped his face on his sleeve and asked her.

"Is it alright if I kiss you?" Her answer was to grab his face and kiss him, slipping her tongue between his lips and sighing into his mouth. He felt her hands at his waistband, undoing his belt and he felt his stomach tighten in anticipation. 

Anne's legs still felt weak and shaky but Gilbert had made her feel something she couldn't even imagine, it was better than her fingers, better than the humping, it had been waves and waves of pleasure, and when she thought it was over it would build again. And now she was going to make him feel just as happy and make his legs weak too. "You know," As she lowered his pants. "That might not have been intercourse but it felt like you were making love to me." She told him, kissing him again, her fingers working on his underwear.

"I was." He cupped her face again and looked so long and and intensely at her, she stilled her hands, "I wanted you to feel loved, to feel how much I love you. Do you realize how much I worship you?"

"Let me worship you now." She instructed, as she finally freed him of his underclothes, pushing them down to join the puddle of clothes around his ankles. She held his gaze while taking him into her hand, almost afraid to see it now, leaning in to kiss his neck, letting his arms pull her close. He was already dripping semen at the tip, she could feel it and used her thumb to spread it around 

"Anne, I'm not trying to rush you..." 

"I know, we need to hurry." She built up her courage and looked down at him, in her hand. His penis, she didn't like that word for it. When she had thought of him last night, she had tested out words and she had really liked the word cock, she had scandalized herself, whispering 'Gilbert's cock', but the thought and words had pushed her over the edge to her second orgasm of the day. His cock looked bigger than she had imagined, he had told her that each man's was different, sizes and colours, his was slightly darker than the skin of his thighs, surrounded by a dark curly hair. It seemed thicker than she had imagined it too. All she could imagine were babies penises and they weren't anything like Gilbert's, it almost seemed to throb in her hands. He hissed in a breath and she continued to stroke him up and down, remembering he liked it before. She watched a milky which drop collect on the tip, and before she even knew what she was doing she dropped to her knees in front of him and bent her head to lick it, he tried to stop her. 

"Anne, you don't have to do...oh my..." He groaned as she ignored him and licked it. It had a slightly salty taste but there wasn't even really enough there to get a real taste. She recalled him talking about women taking cocks into their mouths and she kissed it, and then put the head inside of her mouth, being careful not to bite him. He thrust a bit into her mouth and she pulled back, looking up, shocked. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, I couldn't help it." He apologized, he had a wild look in his eyes, one she had never seen, it made a fresh gush of warm between her legs. 

"It's ok, I just wasn't expecting it." She took him into her mouth again and tried to move up and down, mimicking how she had done it with her hand, experiment on how much she should suck. He groaned and one hand held the side of her face, tilting it upward a bit so he could lock eyes with her. It felt decidedly indecent to hold his gaze while she had his cock in her mouth but there was almost nothing that would stop her at this point. She found if she let the spit in her mouth cover his penis, it was easier to bob up and down. Gilbert reached down and took her hand, putting it on the base of his cock, showing her to move it in time with her mouth, he liked it she could tell because he moaned louder and grabbed one of her braids in his hand, tugging it gently. All those years ago, he had yanked her braid and called her Carrots, now she was on her knees in front of him, and he was pulling her hair again, she wouldn't have minded it if he called her Carrots again. She was doing her best to make it good for him and she thought he was enjoying it, then she remembered he liked it when she squeezed his testicles that other time, so she used her other hand to squeeze them and he jerked wildly in her hands and mouth. 

"Jesus." He groaned and pulled himself away from her and stroked his cock a few more times before a stream of his semen came out, onto the ground in front of him. He closed his eyes and stroked a few more times, almost choking on his own breath, trying to get oxygen. He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out his handkerchief and motioned for Anne to stand up and he wiped all the saliva that run down her chin, kissing her after she was done, and then wiped his hands and cock clean. Pulling up is pants and helping Anne into her bloomers, before holding her against him for several minutes. 

"Was it pleasurable?" She asked, hoping he felt like she did now. 

"It was simply the second most incredible moment of my life." He chuckled, kissing her temple. 

"What was number one?" She asked. 

"Hearing you say you love me and will be my wife one day." She smiled and kissed him, her own heart fluttering at his words.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe only one or two more chapters left. Hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for the love!

Gilbert tried to rush home, after leaving Anne at the edge of the woods by Green Gables, several kisses before he said goodbye, but it was less of a fast walk and more of a casual stroll. He walked with his hands in his pockets, a smile on his face and his head in the clouds. She loved him, had promised to be his wife, he had tasted her, he barked out a joyous laugh, if the rest of their life was going to be like that, he was the luckiest man in the world.

Bash, was working in his garden, Dellie in her basket, not far away, in a small patch of shade, her hands waving away while she gurgled and cooed to herself. He took one look at Gilbert, walking toward him, dropped his trowel and stood up, a frown on his face. 

"Gilbert Blythe, what the hell kind of trouble have you got yourself in?" He growled out. Gilbert stopped in his tracks, Bash looked so angry and upset, he knew he had been shirking his chores lately, between Anne and studying for the entrance exams, but he didn't think Bash would be that mad at him. "You come traipsing home with a smile from ear to ear and stains on your pants. What's a man to think?"

Gilbert looked down at his own trousers, seeing the dirt stains on his knees, from where he had kneeled in the dirt before her. "Bash...I...it's not...well it is..."

"Be quiet Blythe, not out here. Let's go inside, incase someone wandering sees you in that state or overhears us." Bash picked up Dellie's basket and carried inside, Gilbert hesitated for a few moments and with a sigh of resolve, followed Bash inside. Bash put the baby in her highchair and then turned to Gilbert, who hovered by the door.

"Tell me you didn't." Bash crossed his arms and frowned at him. Gilbert quickly ran through a bunch of lies and excuses, or even thought he could just refuse to answer Bash's accusation, but this was his brother, one of his last two living family members, even if they shared no blood, all he had was Bash and Delphine...and Anne. His heart tightened at the memory of her love declaration. He wasn't ashamed, not in front of Bash.

"She...we both still have our virtue." He hoped that would be enough. It wasn't.

"That's not an answer. Have you dishonoured her?" Bash continued, at Gilbert's face, he knew. "You just ruined both of your lives. Gilbert..."

"Bash you are my brother and I love you. But you are not my father. It's my life." Gilbert didn't want to be angry with Bash, he didn't want a confrontation.

"It's not just your life, don't you see that Blythe? This is my life and Delphine's and Anne's...what you do, what Avonlea thinks you have done, could ruin all our lives."

"It won't affect you Bash, I will take all the blame if anyone discovers us."

"Blythe, I am a black man in a white man's world. The doctor in town won't treat Dellie or me as it is, I can't go into the general store and most of Avonlea refuse to meet my stare. I don't want this farm to lose is business connections, I don't want to lose this farm. Mary is out there, in your family's cemetery and if I am chased out of here by a lynch mob, I will never be allowed to come back." 

"You won't be to blame, how could you be?"

"I will be the dark savage that corrupted Gilbert Blythe, which led to the corruption of a Cuthbert. It's going to be my fault, no matter what." Gilbert felt himself deflate at that, he hadn't consider that at all. He loved Bash so much, but he really didn't understand what it was like for Bash. Just like he had failed to inform Bash about the Bog, thinking it wasn't a place Bash would want to go, because Gilbert had never wanted to. 

"I didn't think of that." He admitted.

"Didn't think at all, not with your brain at least." Gilbert sat down at the table and put his head in his hands. How had he allowed this to happen? How had he allowed his base needs and desires control him? He felt Bash's hand on his shoulder.

"Is she alright?" He asked about Anne.

"She loves me."

"I've always known that." Bash chuckled softly. 

"We promised to marry each other."

"Soon? When is the date?" Bash asked, a smile lighting up his face. 

"That remains to be seen." Gilbert replied wryly. 

"What's holding you back Blythe? Marry her tomorrow. Don't waste time, Mary and I had a year, just a year." Gilbert grabbed Bash's hand, squeezed it, they both missed Mary, but that was Bash's love. If he lost Anne, he wouldn't ever recover.

"School, her career. But we decided if anything comes out, we will get married right away. I won't destroy her life Bash. I've been reckless, it's true but I did consider her future. I promise you."

"I know you Brother, you are a good man. Stupid sometimes but a very good man. I know you will do right by her. Don't put a baby in her belly, whatever you do." Bash warned.

"I won't. We won't, until we are married and ready for a baby. I tried to resist Bash, I really did."

"If you could resist that place in New Orleans and Jemma...I would have thought you had the strength to resist anything." Gilbert blushed at the memory of Jemma, the beautiful girl he had met in a tavern in Boston. Her father owned it and she worked the bar, she had flirted with Gilbert on sight and even invited him back to her room, at the end of the night. He had been flattered but refused politely, thinking only to himself that he might have considered it if she had red hair instead of brown.

"I didn't love those women. You resisted then too."

"I didn't love them either. Both men fell silent, until Delphine announced she was hungry with a loud cry.

To Gilbert's immense relief, Anne backed off always trying to get physical with him, they still met in the woods and kissed, and held each other closely, but both of them seemed to realize that it was dangerous territory that could undo both of their futures, so neither let the other get out of control. Both had also given into self pleasure, and being able to have that release, each night, led to more control when around each other. Anne still asked her questions, but they were honestly out of curiosity, then the desire to entice him.

"A penis seems too big to fit. Doesn't it hurt? Jane told us, that Prissy told her, that one of their cousins says it's quite painful." She asked him, they were sitting in a field, Gilbert was wearing a flower crown made of asters, lady slippers and lily of the valley, crafted by Anne. 

"Well the vagina stretches, remember it can fit a baby, a penis can fit." He told her, handing her another aster, to make her own crown.

"But does it hurt?" She asked, he noticed a frown line between her eyebrows.

"The first time usually does, for a woman. She has a thin piece of skin inside, called a hymen, when that is broken it can be painful. But that liquid you produce down there, that helps make it easier, more enjoyable. If a husband doesn't excite or please his wife, she won't produce that and it will be painful most times." 

"Well we know I don't have an issue being excited by you." She blatantly teased him. 

"I promise when the time comes, I will try and make it as gentle as possible and as pleasurable as you can stand." He teased back. 

"Why Mr. Blythe, do you talk to all women that way?" She asked as she perched her flower crown on her head. 

"Just the forest nymphs." He laughed and kissed her.

"Anne, come down here please." Marilla called to Anne, the sound of her voice, put Anne on edge, like Marilla was concerned. Had someone spotted her and Gilbert kissing? She closed her book and walked down the stairs, Mr and Mrs. Barry were in the kitchen, worry, anger and concern on their faces. Before Marilla could explain, Mrs. Barry began to speak. 

"Have you seen Diana? Spoken to her? You must tell us." Anne skidded to a halt. Diana?

"I haven't seen her since yesterday. We have plans for tomorrow after church." Anne, replied, confused trying to remember if Diana had said anything about having plans. "Maybe she's with Ruby."

"We already tried there, she told us she was going to Ruby's after breakfast and would be home for lunch. When that came and passed, we sent one of the maids to fetch Diana. She wasn't there and hadn't been there all day. Where would she go?" Mrs. Barry was nearly hysterical. Anne was a little worried herself, it wasn't like Diana. 

"Is your farm boy around Matthew? The French one?" Mr Barry asked. 

"Well..uh...Jerry went home early, he wasn't feeling well. Why do you....ask?" Matthew replied. 

"My wife caught them holding hands, and forbade Diana from seeing him again. Perhaps she is at their shack." Marilla and Anne gasped at the same time.

"You saw Diana and Jerry? When did this happen?" Anne asked, nearly shouting, it was extremely rude of her. 

"Yesterday after school. I was walking in the gardens and saw them at the edge of the woods, by the path. If this boy has led my Diana astray..." Anne was relieved that was all Mrs. Barry saw Diana and Jerry doing.

"I'm sure it's nothing like that, Jerry is a fine boy." Marilla defended Jerry. 

"I doubt that." Mr. Barry responded, haughtily. "Have either of them spoken to you about any of this Anne?" She knew it was better to say nothing, not build up an elaborate lie and get caught, so she simply shook her head and tried to looked confused and shocked. 

"I'm sure Anne would tell you if she knew of any plans. Wouldn't you Anne?" Marilla spoke up. Anne nodded her head, she really didn't know of any plans, and she couldn't think of any place they would be.

"Please let us know when Dianais found safe." Anne asked as they Barrys turned to leave. 

"Anne if you think of anything..." Mrs. Barry returned. 

"Of course."

After they left, Marilla began to lecture Anne on propriety and the dangers of boys.

By the time, night fell, Diana hadn't been located, Jerry was not found at his house and Matthew left to join the search for them. 

The next day it was all anyone was talking about at Church, almost none of the men were in attendance, anyone able too, had joined the search parties. Anne just repeated she didn't know anything when Ruby, Tillie, and Jane surrounded her. She silently prayed Diana was safe. 

She was sitting down for lunch with Marilla when there was a knock at the door, Marilla answered it and it was a telegram, for Anne. She almost snatched it from Marilla and began to read it. 

It was from Diana, dated just that morning, sent from Charlottetown.

'Anne; Jerry and I eloped. Mother was sending me to Europe immediately. Couldn't leave him. Going to Nova Scotia for a few weeks. Don't worry. Love Diana'

She was married?! To Jerry!?


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late! Life has been hectic and then we got Disney+, so R.I.P writing inspiration. LOL Hope you like it.

Marilla insisted they both go over and deliver the news to the Barrys. The entire walk there, they said nothing aside from Marilla's "Calm yourself, Anne." How could she calm herself? She was about to deliver news that would devastate the Barrys, and it felt like a betrayal to her best bosom friend, and to Jerry, whom Anne loved as a brother. 

The maid announced them and instead of the usual manners and decorum that Mrs. Barry exuded, she rushed in, hair a mess, face stained with tears, Mr Barry followed close behind, looking rather distressed himself. 

"What is it? Have you heard from Matthew? Or Diana?" Mrs. Barry clutched Anne's hands rather tightly, imploring her to answer. 

"We...I..received a telegram this morning. From Diana."

"Where is it?" "What does it say?" They both asked over each other. Anne opened her mouth to speak but couldn't, no sound would come out. 

"Diana has married Jerry, they are in Halifax." Marilla finally spared Anne and the Barrys the silent torture. Mrs. Barry's knees gave out and Mr Barry caught her just in time, helping her to the closest chair while calling out for the maid to bring water. 

"Of all the stupid and reckless things to do..." He muttered while trying to aide Mrs Barry. Anne and Marilla just stood there while he attended to his wife and when she was feeling better, they began to explode in a flurry of angry, horrified questions and accusations.

"She's ruined. She will never be accepted in polite society."

"No better than a fish mongers wife"

"Where will they live? In that one room shack?

"What will I tell everyone?"

"I'll never be able to show my face in Carmody again, let alone Charlottetown."

"If he thinks he can better himself with my family's money he has another thing coming." At that Anne had enough, and found her voice.

"Jerry isn't like that. He knows about hard work and he will do all he can to treat Diana, how she deserves."

"And how is that Anne? She is used to fine silks and maids. She doesn't know how to work on a farm or skin a rabbit. Can that boy offer her those things?" Mrs Barry enquired coldly. 

"I'll speak to my lawyer about having this annulled. If she's not with child perhaps we can make his family an offer to go away." Anne was horrified, they were talking about ending Diana's marriage like it was a business transaction. As if Baynards were nothing. There was no shame in being poor. Especially when those people worked hard, loved harder and were so very kind and giving.

"She is not a possession for you to buy and sell. She made her choice, and perhaps it was spontaneous and they should have had a longer engagement, but she is a married woman now. She will hate you for doing this to her. Why do you think she ran away from you? You tried to tell her how to live, to play the piano, to give up a dream of going to college, to ship her off to finishing school in Europe. That isn't Diana, you do not know your daughter and you certainly do not know what is in her heart." Then she spun on her heel and walked out the door with her head held high. 

"Anne..." Marilla called after her, hurrying to catch up.

"I'm sorry Marilla, but."

"You'll have no argument from me. You defended your friends, however foolhardy they may be, and I am proud of you Anne." Marilla reached out and grabbed her hand and squeezed it. 

"Oh Marilla, I used to think running away and eloping, like Romeo and Juliet was terribly romantic. Now I am just saddened that I wasn't there for Diana on what should have been the happiest day of her life. And what will they return to when they...if they come back to Avonlea?"

"Well Jerry will always have a job at Green Gables if he needs it." Marilla vowed. "But promise me this, I will be there the day you get married."

Anne almost responded to her usual "No one will ever marry me, I am too plain and red haired to be desired." But she remembered her vow to Gilbert, they were already promised to wed, one day. "I'll need my mother there on my wedding day." She squeezed Marilla's hand, both of them wiping away tears.

A week later several families in Avonlea received invitations to celebrate the Marriage of Mr and Mrs Jerry Baynard. It would be at Aunt Jo's home in Charlottetown in three weeks. A letter from Aunt Jo was included in Anne's invitation. 

"Dear Anne-Girl;

What a great and unexpected uproar our Diana has caused. It pains me greatly not to see one of my favourite nieces marry one of my favourite French men, so we will have a splendid party for them both when they return to PEI. We shall make them feel ever so welcomed and accepted.

Love Aunt Jo."

Matthew and Marilla insisted Anne have a new dress for the celebration, justifying she would need it now more than ever, since she was starting college in the fall and would be going to parties more often. She couldn't love them anymore than she did, they saved her from the asylum, loved her as a daughter, included her as a Cuthbert in the family bible and were making it possible for her to attend college, and providing her with new clothes. They decided on a green silk dress, the colour of the moss that grew on trees of Avonlea, but when Marilla and Anne arrived at Jeannie's dress shop, the dressmaker, went in the back room and came out with a bolt of cloth the colour of gold, shiny and eye catching, Anne literally gasped. 

"I have had this back there for over a year. I saw it in Paris and thought of you, lovely Anne. I hoped one day I could make you a dress from it." 

"Oh Jeannie, it is too grand. Too expensive." Anne couldn't let herself hope, not for such a beautiful dress.

"Nonsense. I purchased so much silk from this merchant, that this was practically thrown in as an extra. I will hear none of your arguments, this is meant for you and if you won't have it it will go to waste, sitting back there for years." Jeannie argued.

"We shouldn't let Jeannie's successful business acquisition go to waste Anne." Marilla interjected, and Anne felt her heart soar. 

"Do you mean it Marilla? It's the most beautiful colour I have ever seen, like the autumn leaves, when the sun is setting."

"You will be the most beautiful woman at the party, even if you are too vain." Anne hugged her then and then hugged Jeannie too. 

"This is what princesses must feel like." She exclaimed as they began discussing cut and design.

Gilbert missed Anne. He had been busy with the search for Diana, and then with the extra close eye, all of Avonlea was giving all the teenagers, they had almost no time alone. With Jerry gone, Gilbert and Bash were helping out Matthew at Green Gables, and he saw Anne there, and they had many meals together after a hard day, they just couldn't get more than a quick hug and maybe a stolen kiss. But he really just missed her, their long conversations about books, ports that he had visited, plans for their future. Whenever he had an idea or a thought, he wanted to share it with her, missed seeing the excitement in her eyes when she agreed with him. The adults of Avonlea were scandalized by Diana Barry's elopement with an Acadian farm hand, the take notice board had been torn down, and concerned mothers were walking their daughters home from school. He was excited for the trip to Charlottetown. With all the excitement of the party, he hoped he could take Anne for tea, or to a restaurant for lunch or dinner. And he would get to dance with her at the party, he remembered how it felt to dance with her before, like they were the only ones in the room. 

They had plans to take the train together, along with Bash, Delphine, Matthew and Marilla, he was going to try and sit alone with Anne, but by the looks of the train platform, every person in Avonlea was headed to Diana and Jerry's celebration, even those that had been disapproving and outraged. No one knew if her parents were going to attend, but he had heard from Matthew that Jerry's family went down the day before and Miss Barry, Aunt Jo as Anne called her, was letting them stay in her home for the duration. Bash and Delphine were staying with the Reverend Hall, who had married Bash and Mary and gave the service at her funeral. Gilbert was staying at a hotel, as were the Cuthberts. 

"All this wedding talk put any ideas in your head, Blythe?" Bash asked, bouncing Delphine in his arms. 

"Not quite yet." He replied automatically but he had been thinking of it. He didn't want to wait but he knew he had to, it wouldn't be fair to steal Anne's dreams. 

"Don't wait too long, someone will steal that magical girl from you." Bash warned. And Gilbert knew he was right, when Anne went to college, she would dazzle the men there, men that weren't small town fools like Billy Andrews, these men would see her value, her quick mind and her generous heart, her smooth skin, clear blue eyes and pink full lips. 

"We're here!" Anne's shout pulled him from a memory of her long creamy legs, She was rushing toward them, a huge smile on her face. "Gilbert, hi."

"Anne." He nodded, then greeted Matthew and Marilla while Anne cooed to Delphine and greeted Bash. 

"Looks like everyone is town is taking this train." Matthew muttered, nervously looking around. He was still extremely uncomfortable in crowds. "I should have taken the wagon."

While Matthew and Marilla squabbled about the wagon, Anne and Gilbert, just took each other in. "Excited for the party?" He asked her finally. She nodded. 

"So much so! But I am even more excited to see Diana. I can scarcely believe she is married. I have so many questions." At his raised eyebrow, she blushed, understanding he was thinking of all their shared questions. "About how and where they got married and what their plans are." He nodded, he was curious about that too. 

"Will you sit with me on the train? Not as your chaperone of course, but as two equals, going to the same destination." 

"I would love that." He wanted to tell her he loved her, but it wasn't the time or the place.

"Diana!" "Anne!" They ran into each others arms and embraced for several long moments, while crying and declaring their eternal friendship and love to each other. Anne didn't see Jerry, but she knew he must be around somewhere, Aunt Jo and Cole greeted her and then allowed Diana to drag Anne off to her room so they talk alone. 

"I can't believe it. You eloped and are a married woman!" Anne exclaimed as soon as the door shut, they were in the room Diana always used when staying in Charlottetown. 

"You shouldn't believe it." Diana responded. 

"What?" Anne asked, extremely confused. 

"I'm not married."

"What?!" Anne shouted.

"Shhh, only a few people know." Diana hushed her. 

"What are you saying?"

"It's a ruse. Mother caught Jerry and I holding hands and got so upset. She said horrible things about Jerry and his family, she told me I was leaving on the next ship to Europe. She forbade me from seeing him again, but the thought of never seeing Jerry again sent me into a panic. I knew I loved him and wanted to be with him, no matter what. I sneaked out of the house and went to Jerry, we made a plan and got on a train to Charlottetown. We tried to get married but we didn't have permission from my father, we couldn't go home so I went to Aunt Jo. It took a lot of convincing but I finally got her to help us get married. We are going to get married tomorrow, at the party, we are going to hold another ceremony for our families but it will be our real ceremony and vows, my father's presence there will be permission enough."

Anne was stunned, it was a crazy and audacious plan. How could Aunt Jo have gone along with this? "It's never going to work."

"It will and even if my parents don't come tomorrow, we will wait. Jerry is already 18 and I will be in a few months. Or we really go to Halifax and lie about my age. I am going to marry him." Diana, spoke with such conviction, Anne believed that Diana was truly in love with Jerry, and would do anything to be with him. Anne and Gilbert had a plan to marry immediately if they were found out? They were both 18 and didn't need permission, but she had promised Marilla to never wed without her present. They would have to be so very careful to never be discovered. 

"What happens after?" Anne asked, she wondered what she and Gilbert would do, if forced to marry early. 

"Jerry has already found an apprenticeship. He likes working with his hands and he is going to work for the electricity man that made Aunt Jo's house have electricity."

"An electrician." Anne recalled the word. And Diana, nodded eagerly.

"That's it. And we will live here in Charlottetown, in smaller house Aunt Jo owns. I'm going to to Queens, at least in the beginning before children come."

"College! You're coming to college. Oh Diana, this plan must simply work." Anne didn't care how hairbrained the idea was, she just wanted her best friend at college with her, instead of across the ocean in Europe.

"We have to make sure it does."

Gilbert had heard about Aunt Jo's extravagant parties, from Anne and Diana, but had never been witness to one. The room was decorated from floor to ceiling in flowers, silk, waiters in white jackets and white gloves, elaborate tables of food, ornate lanterns on pillars, because even though the house was equipped with electricity Aunt Jo was insisting on candlelight, for romantical effect. At least that is what Anne told him, during their late morning tea. He took her to the coffee house they once sat in years before, where their truce had begun. She had a secret, he could tell, about Diana, but she had assured him she would tell him after the party. Perhaps Diana was already expecting a baby, and that was the reason for the elopement. He was standing with Moody, near the entrance way to the ballroom, watching the staircase for Anne to descend, she was getting ready with Diana and Cole. He was accepting a glass of punch from a waiter, when Moody gasped. 

"Wow, Anne looks beautiful." Moody said to him. And she did, but beautiful simply couldn't describe her. Maybe Anne would have the perfect words but Gilbert just stared at her. Her hair was up, her long neck, exposed, soft auburn tendrils caressed her neck, jaw, ears, places Gilbert had pressed his lips. She wore almost no jewelry, except for her simple gold chain and locket. She must have been wearing a corset because her curves were accentuated in the form fitting dress, with puffed sleeves, and in the candlelight she shimmered in her golden dress. She was a flame, a fire, a spark and he was the moth that would happily fly into her heat, if only to perish by the burn. 

"I'm going to marry her one day." He declared outloud to Moody, not aware that Marilla and Rachel Lynde had walked up behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is how I imagine Anne's dress colour. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured it would be over by now, but I think we will have a bit more, to get to the ending I want. Thanks for all the love and support.

Gilbert remembered a time in class. It was after he came back to Avonlea with Bash, before Mary and Bash were wed, but after Miss Stacey had nearly been fired. The talk of women's suffrage had come up, women were working in all the provinces and territories of Canada to achieve the right to vote. Anne was of course very passionate about it, vocalizing her strong beliefs that women could understand politics just as easily as a man, that the laws passed by men had lasting consequences on women and that they should have a voice in those laws. Had Gilbert not already agreed, he would have gotten on his knees and pledged his devotion to her cause. Her eyes bright with anger at the injustice, her breath quickened by the intensity of the debate, Billy and Charlie stood zero chance in that argument. But Gilbert's heart had pounded loudly in his ears, his own blood had quickened, his mouth went dry and he could barely remember to breath. She was an angry Goddess Athena, wisest of them all, enraged by the ignorance of man. He loved seeing her riled up for a just cause. 

Now as she descended the stairs, glimmering in the candlelight, like a physical embodiment of the Sun, he felt his mouth go dry, his heart pound in his ears, a flutter in his stomach, and breathing was impossible. "I'm going to marry her one day." He declared and he smiled in wonderment, because he was going to marry her one day. She loved him, that impossible girl, brash, loud, loving, strong, powerful, wondrous....she loved him. 

"Gilbert Blythe, you should know better than to make public declarations for a girl, before speaking to her parents." A voice cut into his dreams of Anne in white, walking toward him with a bouquet of flowers. Rachel Lynde. Suppressing a sigh of discontent, he plastered on a smile and turned around to face Rachel, surprised to see Marilla beside her. Rachel had a clear look of disapproval on her face, but Marilla's eyes held a few unshed tears and a tender look of happiness and love. They said so much to each other in that moment, that look, and before Gilbert could apologize for his outburst, Marilla smiled, patted his arm.

"I so very much look forward to that day, Gilbert. Come along Rachel." She had given her blessing so easily, but he didn't take it as casual or untrue. Marilla wanted it for them too, that gentle smile said it all. When they were gone, Gilbert let out a laugh of relief and joy and looked at Moody, who was standing there dumbstruck. 

"I need to talk to Anne." Gilbert said, looking at the stairs where Anne had been and was now not there. Moody pointed down the hallway, where he could see Anne, Ruby and Jane all talking and laughing. 

"Anne, you look so beautiful. Like a princess." Ruby was saying.

"I feel like one." Anne responded. "But you two look like princesses as well. Ruby you always look divine in pink, it suits your hair and colouring so perfectly. And Jane, that shade of lilac is so becoming, I don't think I have seen a dress in that shade before. Everyone here will be dying to know the name of your dressmaker, and your hair looks enchanting up like that. But we will pale in comparison to Diana. She looks like a dream, the very picture of what a beautiful bride should look like. Her raven hair, next to the ivory dress, I can't describe how ravishing she looks."

"Good evening ladies." Anne knew whose voice that was. She had seen him, standing with Moody and then turning to talk to Marilla and Rachel. She'd planned on walking right over to him, he looked so handsome and dashing in his black suit and bow tie, he had tried to tame those rebellious curls but they still laid around his head in a jumble, she longed to smooth them. But Ruby and Jane had grabbed her hands and began squealing about how wonderful she looked and she was excited to see them too. 

"Good evening Gilbert." Ruby greeted him. "Doesn't Anne look like a princess?"

"No." he replied shaking his head. And Anne felt her stomach drop, he didn't like the way she looked. "She looks like a Queen. Or a sunbeam...like the Sun." She would have fallen in love with him right there, if she weren't already ridiculously smitten. The love of her life spoke so romantically, she couldn't believe how lucky she was.

She let out a quiet "Oh." and just stared at him, Ruby and Jane shared a knowing glance, that neither Anne or Gilbert noticed because they were staring only at each other, uncomfortably long for the other two girls, who said something about punch and dancing and wandered off. 

"I wish I could kiss you." He said so quietly, she thought she might have read his lips more than heard his voice. 

"I wish you could too. You look very handsome. Like you stepped right out of the pages of a novel."

"And you stepped out of a fantasy I didn't even know I had. I always think of you as Aphrodite, but now I realize you are a sun goddess." 

"I'm no Goddess." She scoffed. 

"I will worship you and grovel at your feet, you are my goddess." He promised with conviction, she believed him. 

"Then you are mine, my equal. And I shall worship you." There was a murmuring in the crowd and Anne tore her gaze away from Gilbert to look and see what was happening, Diana's parents and Minnie May had arrived. Anne let out a sigh of relief, perhaps the crazy plan would work. 

"Shall we join the party?" Gilbert asked, offering his arm, as she took it he added. "By the way, Marilla and Rachel Lynde heard me declare my intentions to marry you. Marilla gave me her blessing and I am sure most of the people at the party are now aware, thanks to Rachel, I am going to have to speak to Matthew tonight, our courtship begins."

"What...?" She couldn't even finish her thought when they joined the crowd in the ballroom. She was forced to socialize with her peers and the people of Avonlea, hanging on to Gilbert's arm the entire time. He may still have to speak to Matthew but Gilbert Blythe's intentions were as plain as day to everyone who observed them. Aunt Jo joined the party and that seemed to be the cue for everything to begin. The pretense being that the reverend from Aunt Jo's church would perform a second ceremony, so that their friends and family could witness their joining this time. And with Mr. Barry there, the minister, who had no idea the first wedding never took place, would marry them for real. When Jerry walked in with his family, Anne couldn't keep from clapping, he looked so handsome and proud, and terrified, he wasn't used to this level of wealth or attention. But he looked happy, his father clapped him on the back and his mother kissed his cheeks, he nodded and stood by the minister, waiting for Diana. 

She did not disappoint. Mrs. Barry took her seat, and the band began Für Elise, and Diana, on Mr Barry's arm entered. If Gilbert compared Anne to a sun goddess then Diana must be goddess of the Moon, the very goddess she was named after. Her skin glowed, her eyes sparkled, looking only at Jerry. Her skin looked lovely in contrast to her ivory gown, shimmering with pearls , sequins and beads, she held a bouquet of white and pale pink peonies, tied with the blue ribbon Anne had given her. Her hair was down, how Jerry liked it, according to Diana, held back from her face by two mother of pearl combs that Aunt Jo had gifted her for her something new. Diana's something old was the gold heart that she shared with Anne, her something borrowed was a gold bangle, that Ruby had lent her. 

The ceremony went in the usual way, with the exception of Jerry and Diana, reciting their vows in French, which Anne found very romantical and wished she could speak another language. And she cheered as loud as the rest of the room when they were announced Man and Wife and they kissed. She noticed Mrs. Barry smiling and wiping a tear, maybe she was warming up to the idea after all. While everyone rushed to wish them well, Gilbert leaned in and whispered in her ear. 

"I need to talk to Matthew now." She knew he was making sure she was alright with this next step. 

She nodded and whispered, "When you come back, will you have a dance with me?"

"I'm having them all with you." He promised, squeezing her hand as he left.

Matthew may have been a man of few words, but Gilbert knew he was wise beyond his years. And the smile he gave Gilbert as he approached, let Gilbert know, he would have his blessing. 

"Beautiful ceremony." Gilbert said in greeting. 

"Aye. " Matthew nodded in agreement.

"I know I have nothing to offer but love and the promise of a Doctor's future, but..."

"She wouldn't like me giving permission. She's her own person. So I won't say yes, she'll make her own choice. But I couldn't or wouldn't be prouder to have a man like you for my son." Matthew cut him off. "Treat her well and buy her pretty ribbons."

"Matthew. I love her and I will do anything to show her that everyday."

"I know you will son." Matthew patted his shoulder and nodded his head. "Don't wait too long. Even with school and careers and dreams, don't put it off too long, life has ways of getting in the way."

Gilbert knew that Matthew had once courted the dressmaker in Carmody, Anne had told them of their unrequited love. And Marilla, still alone after turning down his own father. Bash had lost Mary, just after finding her, life could be cut short at any moment. His own mother, father and siblings gone before he was even sixteen years old. Did he take a leap of faith and marry her soon? Before they were established, before he finished school. She dreamed of higher education, of being a teacher, would she ever be content with being a wife? But six years seemed so long. An eternity, already six years was a third of the life he had lived. He wanted to make the right choice but he didn't know what it was. The music was starting and he pushed away the confusing thoughts and focused on the one thing he knew was right, Anne.

They laughed and danced, and drank punch, which someone, probably Billy Andrews, had spiked with rum and they were both a little tipsy. But so evidently in love to anyone watching. They only had eyes for each other, and it became evident he didn't want or wouldn't let anyone else dance with her, breaking chains, to keep her next to him, outright refusing to allow Charlie to dance with her. Only giving her up to dance with Jerry.

"So you are like my brother, now. Diana is as close to me as a sister."

"Oui, Anne. I love you like a sister. You taught me to read, you treat me as an equal. Even if I tease you."

"I love you too Jerry, you have become a kindred spirit. I can't wait to witness the future you and Diana will make."

Gilbert of course allowed Matthew a few dances, she loved dancing with Matthew. He didn't know all the steps and he seemed to lack rhythm, but he was always happy to make Anne smile. And of course Diana, "Promise me, we will always save a dance for each other, even when we are older than Aunt Jo." Diana entreated Anne.

"Always. No matter what." Anne promised. "Are you nervous for tonight?"

Diana only shook her head and leaned in and put her face as close to Anne's ear as possible, whispering. "We did it already."

Anne lost the steps and stood still, her face a mask of shock and surprise. "What? When?" Diana grabbed her hand and led her to one of the powder rooms. Completely alone in the room Diana explained. 

"Last night. Mother sent a note just before bed that they would be attending. I didn't want to wait anymore, and part of me thought that if something went wrong, they would have to give permission if I wasn't chaste anymore and they couldn't take the chance I was pregnant."

"Well...what was it like?" Anne had to know. Diana smiled dreamily at the memory. 

"Messier than I thought it would be, but wonderful. Jerry was so sweet and gentle."

"Did it hurt? How did you know what to do?"

"It hurt a bit, but I scarcely felt any pain when Jerry was kissing me. And I don't know, it just came naturally. We knew what went where and just did what felt good."

"Oh Diana, you have entered into womanhood for real and now married. The secrets of love and womanhood are only just starting to reveal themselves to you."

"And to you." Diana reminded her, they had shared all, the two women. 

"Not quite. But we are officially courting. He has had Marilla and Matthew's blessing." 

"How wonderful. All these years I waited for you to realize that Gilbert Blythe was in love with you and you him. One day I will be watching you two get married."

Matthew was in the corner, eating something fluffy and sweet, when Marilla walked up beside him. "We'll have to have go to Jeannie to get some white fabric." She commented. 

"Aye, and some of those sparkly things like on Diana's dress. Whatever Anne wants. Won't be too long now."

"No it won't be. 

They spent another dreamy day in Charlottetown, walking arm in arm, and having lunch in a nice restaurant. After they met up with Diana and Jerry to see the house they would be living in. It was a two story house that looked like it was made of blue gingerbread. A fancy sitting room, a homey kitchen, three rooms upstairs and splendid garden out back. And it was only a 15 minute walk to the college. 

"Oh Diana. It is simply adorable. You are going to live a life of domestic bliss, even if it is with Jerry." Anne couldn't help throwing in a dig at Jerry, she couldn't let him think that their constant teasing was going to end. A small part of her was envious though, Diana would get to spend every minute with Jerry, and now that they were courting, Anne would rarely be alone with Gilbert.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How hard is it to continue this story, knowing that they have canceled Anne With an E. I hope you all join the campaign to save our beloved show!

~~~

"But why? I have walked alone with Gilbert more times than I can count but because we are now courting, it's improper? It makes no sense." Anne argued with Marilla.

"You were children then, now you are adults. It's just not done that way. " Marilla tried to explain for more times than she could keep track of. "There are rules Anne, and if you don't abide by them, it can have drastic consequences, your reputation would be destroyed Anne."

"What if I don't care about my reputation?"

"Well you should." Marilla responded harshly. "Everything you do from today until you die, will be wrapped in your reputation. It may not be fair in your mind, but it is the way of the world. And now that you are courting Gilbert, your reputation also affects him, Matthew and I too. Would you want to hurt us?"

"Oh Marilla, of course not. I want to protect you all. But I just want to be able to walk and talk to Gilbert, alone, make plans for our futures. Talk about our feelings and our dreams." Marilla's eyes softened.

"No one wants an Old Maid, like me, intruding on their sweet talk. We will just have to figure out how to give you both some space and privacy, while allowing decency."

"We're going to Queens soon. What will keep us from being alone then?"

"Anne Shirley Cuthbert! You had better not do anything foolish while you are away. I am trusting you have enough sense in your head not to embarass Matthew and I in front of all of Charlottetown." Marilla, was riled up, now. Just the thought of Anne acting inappropriately without Marilla around to guide her, had Marilla's heart pounding in fear. Anne was such a reckless girl sometimes. "There are still rules in Charlottetown, your boarding house, HIS boarding house. You must act like a proper young lady."

"I will." Anne replied dejectedly, and Marilla felt her heart go out. She remembered how thrilling it was to have a few moments alone with John, before he left, before her own responsibilities got in the way of her own young love.

"Well there are ways. Perhaps it's time for another picnic, under the northern oak." Marilla suggested and Anne's face split into a wide grin, her eyes almost dreamy in remembrance. 

"What a perfect idea! I'll invite him for tomorrow afternoon, I stop there on my way to Miss Stacey's."

"That sounds fine. When you get back from Miss Stacey's we can make something special for your picnic. "

"Thank you Marilla." Anne dramatically hugged her, but Marilla knew there was no artifice, that was really how Anne felt.

Summer was in its full bloom, flowers added an explosion of colour everywhere she looked, birds were singing, butterflies were flitting, the smell of Mother Earth was just intoxicating to Anne, as she crossed the fields that would take her to Gilbert and Bash's place. She wished she could stop and climb a tree and talk to the wind as it rustled in the leaves, high up in tallest boughs but she had to hurry along. Miss Stacey had invited Anne to tea, Anne had eagerly accepted, she admired Miss Stacey so much and she always had helpful advice for Anne, Anne had so many questions about college and being a teacher in the future, and Anne missed Diana, Miss Stacey gave her some of the feminine companionship she craved. 

She found Bash and Gilbert out by the barn on their farm, they were just securing Delphine's basket to the seat of the carriage, the back of the carriage loaded with a few crates and bags. 

"Good afternoon Queen Anne." Bash said with a huge smile, hopping down from the carriage to greet her. 

"Hello Bash. Where are you and Dellie off too?"

"Just a visit to the Bog for a couple of days, I want Dellie to visit with Mary's friends. She can't grow up with just this skinny white boy, she needs some women that look like her." He gave Gilbert a playful shove, as Gilbert came around the carriage to greet Anne, taking her hands in his and kissing her knuckles, lightly. 

"I didn't think I would see you today." 

"Well, Marilla has agreed to allow us a picnic tomorrow, under the northern oak." She informed him, noticing the tinge of pink that bloomed on his cheeks. 

"I would pleased to attend." He confirmed.

"Wonderful, but I must run. I have tea with Miss Stacey. Goodbye Bash, have a safe and spectacular visit. I'll see you tomorrow Gilbert." With a final wave she was off.

She wished she had Miss Stacey's bike, to help her get places faster, imagine seeing the world riding one of those. She was still imagining, riding the bike through the streets of Paris or Berlin, as she climbed the steps to Miss Stacey's front door. The normally bright, and vivacious woman did not answer the door. Instead it was a pale faced, red eyed, Miss Stacey.

"I'm sorry Anne, I am afraid I have caught a summer flu. We will have to reschedule our tea."

Anne, pushed past the older woman and led her to her bed, tucked her in and then made some tea and broth for her. The two talked for a short while, once Miss Stacey fell asleep, Anne, tidied the kitchen and left. She was on her way back to Green Gables, planning what she would do now. Read, or maybe go for a long rambling walk, or...

Gilbert was sitting on the bench by the family cemetery, reading his father's favourite poems out loud, when he saw her marching across the field. He started walking toward her, "What are you doing here?" He asked when she was close enough. 

"Miss Stacey is sick, Marilla isn't expecting me for a few more hours, Bash is away to Charlottetown, and you have the house to yourself." She continued walking toward his house.

"Why Miss Cuthbert, being alone with you right now is improper, being alone with you in that house would be indecent." He reminded her but kept pace for the front door.

"What we are going to do in there alone, will be downright scandalous." She promised. He followed her up the stairs and into the house, closing the door behind him and turned around, only to be pushed up against the door in her embrace, her lips landing on his. It had been a couple of weeks since they were alone. More than a week since he had stolen a kiss, he missed this, he missed her. He groaned into her mouth and she pressed herself against him even more, they couldn't be any closer he thought.

"Let's go to your room." She whispered against his lips.

"That's a very bad idea." He replied half heartedly. 

"I'm full of bad ideas. You should know that now, before you marry me." She informed him, while she started pulling his ever present vest down his arms. 

"Anne..." Now serious, he had to be the sensible one, since she seemed willing to lead them both into temptation. "We should stop."

"No. We won't do anything more than we already have. I just want to do it in your bedroom with our clothes off."

"Anne!" Gilbert was completely shocked by that. But they had done things to each other, seen parts they weren't supposed to, kissed those parts. While he was remembering, she had his vest off and was pulling his shirt out of his waistband.

"Gilbert, if you don't come with me upstairs now, I will go up there alone, take off my clothes, get into your bed and pleasure myself." 

"I'm going straight to Hell." He announced but he took her hand and led her up the stairs. 

In his room with the door shut, and a chair under the door knob, just in case, they stared at each other. Were they really going to do this? Disrobe and be complete bare in front of each other? He knew there were couples who spent their entire married lives together, who had never seen each other completely unclothed. He didn't want to be one of those couples but they were not yet married. Oh but he wanted to see her. All of her. She started with her braids, untying one and beginning to unravel the strands. 

"Let me." He told her, wanting to finally feel those beautiful locks of hair in his hands. He worked the first one free, then the other, putting the strings that held them, on top of his dresser. Then he let his hands sink deep into her hair, massaging her scalp with his hands. Her eyes were closed, head tilted back slightly, mouth in a slight smile and small breathy "ohs" were escaping her. He took the moment to bury his face into her hair, breathing in the smell of the soap she washed it with, lavender, and lost himself in her scent. Soon she was reaching for his shirt again and he allowed her to pull it off over his head, dropping it on the floor. She stepped back and studied him, and he felt insecure, with her stare. He was on the skinny side, hadn't filled out yet but years of hardwork had left him, strong and well defined.

"You are beautiful." She gasped, "Like a renaissance statue. A work of art." And he smiled, just like that she put him at ease, she didn't see the skinny arms and modest chest. She saw the wide shoulders and well defined stomach, she was the real work of art. "My turn." She let out a steadying breath and turned her back to him, moving her hair over her shoulder and indicating he should begin to undo the numerous buttons running down the back of her dress. With the steady hands of a doctor to be, he began to undo them, his breath hitching as each button revealed a growing view of her chemise. She seemed to know when he had undone enough for her to shimmy out of the dress, and she let that, slide down over her shoulders and hips, dropping to the ground, around her feet. Her shoulders were sprinkled with a light smattering of freckles, he couldn't stop himself, he dropped kisses on several of them, noticing her skin breaking out with goosebumps at the brush of his lips. He put his hands on her waist and turned her around to face him again, she was in her chemise, her bloomers, stockings and boots, and she never looked lovelier to him. They bent down and began to untie their boots, kicking them off and then helping each other out of their remaining clothes, stood naked and unashamed in front of each other, like Adam and Eve. He took her hand and led her to the bed, she sat on the edge, looking up at him.

"Before we do anything, please remember, when you want to stop, tell me. I won't do anything you don't want me to, and we won't no matter what, have intercourse." She nodded, her wide blue eyes never leaving his face. "Then lay back Anne, let me love you." She did as he asked and he laid down next to her on the narrow bed, neither of them touching yet. He stroked her face, gently before leaning in to kiss her again, letting his hand trail down her face to her shoulder, arm, hip and back up. Her skin was so soft, and warm, she shivered when he touched her. She reached out a hand to touch him too, unable to keep her hands from seeking out his chest and stomach, making his stomach quiver, when her hand reached lower, she grasped his cock, he kissed her breast, taking the nipple into his mouth. Her back arched, she gasped loudly and involuntarily squeezed his cock, causing him to rock into her hand and moan. He gave the same attention to her other nipple and then the other again, dropping kisses between her breasts and on her chest and shoulders. Freckles everywhere, on her chest, arms, breasts, stomach, thighs, he resisted the urge to roll her over and inspect her bottom for freckles...next time, he told himself. Her hand was bringing him dangerously close and they had only just begun, so he stilled her hand, brushing his lips over her knuckles, and then onto her stomach, down her stomach. She knew what he was planning and adjusted herself, opening her legs, he positioned himself there, kissing and sucking her inner thigh, careful not to leave a mark but promising himself on their wedding night, he would leave a love bite there, marking her as his, for only their own eyes to see. 

Then he began to lick her, from top to bottom and back up, easing her open with his tongue and fingers, sucking lightly on the nub, delving deeper when her soft moans told him she enjoyed it. Her fingers were in his hair, half pushing him closer, half pulling him away when it became too much and he had to focus on another spot. He felt her body begin to tighten and knew she was close, so he pressed her thighs farther apart with his hands and worked her clitoris with his tongue and added his finger inside of her, not too deep, not to hurt her, to fill her, just a bit. "Gilbert....more." She panted and he gently added another finger, again, going no deeper than halfway, but the feeling was enough to send her over the edge, she let out a loud cry and arched her back, her hands falling from his hair, eyes closed, breath ragged, her whole body shaking. He moved back beside her, head propped on one arms, his other hand softly stroking her hip. He noticed a tear trail from her eye, down her cheek and into her hair. 

"Did I hurt you? Are you okay?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows, he had been too rough, shouldn't have tried his fingers in her, even just that little bit.

"No Gilbert," she opened her eyes and smiled at him, love clear as day in her eyes. "I'm not hurt. I don't know why I'm crying. I just feel so utterly loved, emotions are filling me up so much I can't contain them."

"You are so very utterly loved by me." He told her, holding her in his arms, loving how her skin felt against his. He never wanted this to stop. When she stopped trembling, he released her slightly, moving to kiss her again. 

"Now it's your turn, Mr. Blythe." She said in her most dignified voice. And she shifted lower on the bed, taking him into her hand and began to stroke him for a few moments before taking him into her mouth. He let out a hiss of pleasure and stared down at that halo of majestic hair, pooling around his stomach, legs and groin, a sight he never wanted to forget, he watched her head bob up and down, and let himself give into the pleasure, fisting the blanket into his hands, to keep from grabbing her hair and pushing her down deeper, it wasn't until he was close, he looked around and saw a handkerchief on his nightstand, grabbed it and gently pulled Anne away, taking his cock into his own hand and finishing into the handkerchief. 

They laid in each other's arms, kissing, talking and giggling, stroking, sucking, licking several more times until she saw it was time to head back to Green Gables. He helped her dress, buttoning her dress, tying her boots for her, and got dressed himself. They had another long kissing session and then went back downstairs. 

"We may never have a day like this again, until we are married." She remarked, sadly. 

"Probably not. But what a glorious day it has been. Should I walk you?" He opened the door and looked around, making sure there was no one out walking in the fields that could see her leaving.

"Better not. I'll make a flower crown on the way and tell Marilla I was exploring. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow, I love you." He kissed her nose.

"And I you."


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been so difficult to finish. I have a hard time with endings. I finally got them where I wanted them, so I hope you all enjoy it. It has been overwhelming the response you all have given me. I have never had this many hits or likes in the past. 
> 
> Stay tuned I have two ideas in my head.

"Jerry is at work and Diana won't be back until after four." Anne reminded Gilbert as they let themselves into the newlywed's house. Jerry and Diana had offered it to them on occasion. Understanding that it was nearly impossible for them to be alone anywhere in Charlottetown. Anne and Gilbert's boarding homes were quite strict on visitors of the opposite sex, and certainly never allowed them into their bedrooms. The sitting rooms at both places were often filled with residents and their guests, so there was only a few moments for a quick hand squeeze, none for kisses. A hotel wouldn't allow them both to stay, since they weren't married, and unlike the vast forests of Avonlea, the city parks were crowded and offered very little privacy. They could hold hands, embrace and sneak a kiss or two there but nothing more. Diana and Jerry understood the desire for them to be alone and Diana had suggested that Anne and Gilbert could use the guest room once or twice a week, when husband and wife were out. It had worked well for the two couples for the first semester, Anne and Gilbert often stayed and made dinner, so that Jerry and Diana could have an easier night, and the couples would spend the evening talking or playing cards. She loved those nights because it made her feel closer to Green Gables.

It was sometimes overwhelming to be away from Matthew and Marilla and Green Gables, Anne worried about them all the time, was Matthew doing too much? Even with one of Jerry's brothers taking over his job on the farm, Anne was afraid Matthew would over extend himself. And Marilla wasn't a spring chicken either, she imagined an infinite amount of ways for them to be injured, take sick or die, Anne prayed nightly for them to be safe. 

College was challenging but she loved that part of it, studying, debating, learning, she relished that part, but on lonely nights she laid in bed, listening to the noises of Charlottetown and missing the sounds of Green Gables. Having Diana, Jerry, Cole, Tillie, Ruby, Moody, Aunt Jo, and of course Gilbert, made her a little less homesick, and she was able to get back at least once a month to Green Gables, but it just wasn't the same. Each time she went back, she felt different, her love for her adoptive parents remained the same, deep and pure, but she was changing, she was not the same Anne that left in September. Sometimes she felt like she was just a guest, over for a visit, or like a ghost, a memory of a person that no longer existed. And though she hand no real plans yet, she wondered what her future would be. Would she return to Avonlea? Would she stay in Charlottetown? PEI? Or even leave the province and go somewhere else? She didn't want to be too far from Gilbert, and they had discussed her applying for jobs that would keep them somewhat close, at least for visits a few times a week, or even continuing her education while he worked on his career. 

"I can't stay for dinner, I have a study group tonight." Gilbert told her as they climbed the stairs to the guest room. 

"That's alright, I shouldn't stay tonight, I have a lot of reading to do." She replied. 

Once in the room, they kissed gently and helped each other out of their clothes and laid in the bed, Anne's head on Gilbert's chest, his arms wrapped around her, one hand in her hair, rubbing her scalp. And that's how they stayed for their time, cuddling and talking, smattered with occasional kissed. Sometimes their time alone was sweet and gentle, almost chaste, or falling asleep in each others arms, other times it was hot, desperate, filled with need. Anne found she didn't prefer one to another, when one of them needed release, then the other happily provided it, when they were scared or homesick, the other held them and talked them through it. Neither seemed determined to hold the power, content to treat each other as equals. This day they found they just needed the calm, serenity they found in each other's company. Gilbert was telling her about a paper her had read in a scientific journal, and she listened to him, asking questions and giving her own opinion, They reluctantly released each other after a few hours and got dressed, it was time to leave. They kissed inside before leaving, embracing and whispering I love yous before she left. He waited 15 minutes before he left and headed to his study group. 

One Saturday toward the end of February, Gilbert was back in Green Gables for a weekend visit with Bash and Dellie and Bash's mother Hazel, who had come to stay and help with Dellie. They had just finished up their lunch and Gilbert had convinced Hazel to let him help her clean up, it took a lot of convincing, when there was a knock at the door. It was Rachel Lynde. 

"Good afternoon, Mrs Lynde." Gilbert greeted her. 

"I am afraid it won't be for much longer." She frowned at him. "I need to speak to you Gilbert Blythe." He felt his heart drop and knew immediately that she knew. If she knew, then everyone knew. It was over for them both, they would need to leave the province to escape the reputation that would follow them. He took a steadying breath, he was a man now, he loved Anne and he wasn't ashamed of that. 

"Let me get my coat, we can talk while I walk you home." He tried to act as if he had no fear or shame. She just harumpfed and waited for him on the front porch. When he joined her, they walked in silence until they were well away from the house and she began. 

"I tried to pay a visit to Diana Barry...Baynard, last week, but no one was home. I was walking back to my hotel when I spied you and Anne walking on the other side of the street toward, Diana's home. You both entered it alone and stayed in there longer than my feet could take the cold. Gilbert Blythe, you have ruined her." 

He had always planned the words he would say, if they ever got caught, but now they didn't seem right. "She's not ruined. I promise you Mrs. Lynde, we were foolhardy being alone, yes, but we were not that stupid. She has her virtue. I promise you."

"That maybe so, but her reputation...yours, there is no way they can be repaired."

"Maybe there is. You haven't spoken of this to anyone?" He would have known if she had, Matthew would have come to Charlottetown and murdered Gilbert. But Rachel couldn't keep a secret, she was the town gossip. 

"I love Anne like family, I know my reputation for telling secrets, but I will try to protect you both, but I can not allow this to go on. You must do right by her Gilbert." 

"Give me a month. I need to figure out what to do, how to do. But I will propose to her with in a month and have her marry me as soon as possible. I promise, no lengthy engagement."

"I am trusting you to do the right thing Gilbert. Your father was an honourable man, and I always considered you to be one too." Rachel's eyes softened. "Marry her soon, love has a way of working out the other things."

"Thank you Mrs. Lynde."

"Hmmm...now tell me all about the others. I hear Tillie has three beaus on the go...."

Anne's 19th birthday arrived on a clear cool spring Friday. The sun was shining brightly, the trees were just growing their buds, the robins had returned and the snow was nearly gone. She was awakened from her slumber by her friends running into the room and yelling Happy Birthday to her, smothering her with hugs and kisses on her cheeks. "This arrived first thing this morning." Josie informed her, holding out an invitation. 

"Dear Anne-Girl. One does not turn 19 everyday. Please join us for a celebratory tea, after school. 

Aunt Jo"

How wonderful, tea with Aunt Jo and Cole, maybe Diana and Jerry as well. And dinner with Gilbert, they had already made plans to go to her favourite restaurant. The only thing missing was Matthew and Marilla but she would see them on Saturday, they were coming to her to celebrate. 

She was so excited to celebrate her birthday that she had a hard time concentrating at school and more than once had to shake herself out of a daydream to refocus on her work. After her last class she ran back to her boarding house to change, into her deep blue dress with white lace trim, fixed her hair and set off for Aunt Jo's. She smiled at people as she passed them, wishing them a good afternoon, enjoying the warm spring sunshine on her face, even if it did cause more freckles to appear, she found she no longer hated them, since Gilbert seemed so infatuated with them.

Cole answered the door instead of Rollins and hugged Anne while wishing her a Happy Birthday. "Nineteen already. Do you feel more grown up?" He asked, taking her jacket and handing it to one of the maids and leading her toward the ball room instead of the parlour. 

"Not at all, I always thought that when I became a woman, I would stop daydreaming and..." She stopped talking when she noticed they were passing the parlour. "Cole..."

She didn't get to finish because in the ballroom were all her friends and family from Avonlea, her new ones from Queens and Matthew and Marilla, all shouting "SURPRISE!" 

"Oh my goodness. How wonderful, you are all here." She hugged them all, Aunt Jo, Diana, Jerry, Josie, so many people, until she finally found herself in Gilbert's embrace. 

"Happy Birthday Carrots." He whispered. Once she had reacted so violently to the nickname she had lashed out, now she felt her stomach flutter and her heart pound at the word. It wasn't so bad after all.

There was music, amazing food, lots of laughter, dancing, gifts, but what warmed Anne's heart most was the speeches many people got up and made about her. 

"The day I met her I knew I would be forever changed. I was a meek girl who did what she was told, I didn't voice my opinion and I didn't dream. Not only did Anne allow me to be me, my true self, she allowed me to dream. Never mocking or laughing at them...but encouraging them. It seemed like madness at the time." Diana exclaimed. 

Matthew and Marilla stood before the crowd, and Marilla began. "We are a practical family. Did our chores, said our prayers and found comfort in the routine. When that girl burst into our lives she changed everything. We found joy....when we didn't even know we were missing it." 

"I didn't know what she was saying, still don't most of the time. But I know she's made our lives better. I couldn't be prouder to have her as a daughter." Matthew managed to get out, uncomfortable and emotional.

"Anne helped save me, from a life that would have broken me." Cole told them, without detail. "Introduced me to Aunt Jo and inspired me to fight for what I want and believe in. Now I can be an artist and do what I really love."

"She made me realize some hard truths over the years. Has never been afraid to speak up to me and anyone she thought was causing an injustice. She showed me that preconceived notions and first impressions might not always be the right way." Rachel Lynde added, surprising many by her words. 

Anne was a blubbering mess by the time, Gilbert stepped forward. "Anne Shirley Cuthbert is a passionate individual, I learned that the day I met her." He rubbed the side of his head, where the slate had slammed against him. "She has always stood up for those in need, those maligned, even when it would have an adverse effect on her life, and she never hesitates about it. She sees magic in things most of us would find ordinary, she talks to the trees, the forest...the wind. And who else but Anne, would have the audacity to get a letter to me, on a steamship in the middle of the Atlantic ocean? And the only person to tell me to come home one day. Those that know her and love her, can't understand her but they recognize that she is a true miracle, one that none of us knew we needed. Anne didn't have an easy childhood, most of us know of her origins, but she never let all the darkness she lived in, kill the light. She somehow thrived, seeking out joy in the small things, until she was able to experience bigger things. And I don't want to live another day without her, so I ask her, Anne with an E, will you marry me?"

Anne was frozen in place, the crowd was cheering, Gilbert produced a ring and walked to her, dropping down to one knee and holding the small gold ring, with a green stone up to her. "It's modest I know, but it was my mother's." He told her. 

"Gilbert..I..but we...you.." She stumbled. 

"Oh for Heaven's sakes girl...just say yes." Rachel's voice penetrated the confusions of thoughts jumbling her mind and she was right. 

"Yes!" No one tried to tell them about propriety when he jumped up, slid the ring on her finger, grabbed her in his arms and kissed her. 

Anne didn't care that the engagement was rushed because of Rachel's discovery she was more than ready to marry Gilbert, and If Diana could be married and attend college, so could Anne, they would make it work. Gilbert would stay on with Dr. Ward for the time being, and if he needed to move for his career, she would move with him and try and find a teaching job somewhere close by. If not she would write, she had a thousand Princess Cordelia stories she could put to paper. The wedding was planned for Easter Weekend, everyone would be off school and it was already a special weekend, it would be a simple affair, a ceremony held at the church and then a modest reception at Green Gables, Bash and Dellie and Hazel would spend the night at Green Gables and Anne and Gilbert would go to the Blythe-LaCroix farm for their wedding night before returning to Charlottetown to a house four doors down from Diana and Jerry, provided by Aunt Jo, to be used for however long they stayed in Charlottetown. 

In the years that followed in Gilbert Blythe's life, whenever he was feeling sad, nervous or angry, when he was having a bad day at work, he always turned his mind to the vision of Anne walking down the aisle toward him, an ivory dress, that sparked in the light, a veil over her hair, which was partially up in the front, but he could see the part that hung down, had one braid twisted into it, her bouquet was a mass of spring flowers, and he chuckled to himself when he recognized carrot blossoms mixed in. His beautiful, whimsical perfect bride.

Even at their reception, he could not keep his eyes off of her, sure, he was excited for the night when they could finally be together, no more sneaking around, but it was more than that. This woman, had stolen his heart so many years ago and while he had dreamed it, it seemed as if this day would never come. 

Diana, and the girls had worked some magic on Gilbert's old room, the room was filled with fresh flowers and candles waiting to be lit, gone was the old red and blue quilt, replaced with crisp new sheets and a soft duvet. Laying on the bed was a scrap of pink silk and lace like Anne had never seen, "Lingerie" Gilbert supplied, having seen it once before in New Orleans. One of the girls, he suspected Tillie, had also left them with a bottle of Dandelion wine, which they had a few glasses of to relax, while they lit the candles, then he left the room so she could change, checking the house to make sure all the other candles were out and did a quick inspection of the animals on the farm and returned to his old room...to Anne. 

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, in her pink silk, sipping from her glass of wine when he entered the room. "Redheads should never wear pink but..."

"You look beautiful, no matter the colour." He said, taking the glass from her and having a drink. "You are the most beautiful woman...thing I have ever seen."

"You're drunk." She teased. 

"A little." He admitted "But I feel that way every day, every moment of my life."

"You are better than Mr. Darcy." She announced. "Because you are real. You are also completely overdressed for the occasion Mr. Blythe."

"I can rectify that easily enough, Mrs. Blythe." She smiled at her new name, as he shed his suit jacket, and began on his tie. She helped him out of his shirt and pants and then sat back on the edge of the bed, taking another larger drink of wine.

"I have wanted this for so long, but now I find myself afraid. Not of you of course, you have always been so wonderful, but..." She shrugged, unable to convey what was scaring her.

"I'm afraid too. Not just of hurting you, but I don't want you to get pregnant just yet." He told her, worried she would be upset. 

"Me either. Not for a few years yet if possible." She agreed, he felt a rush of relief, they were still on the same page, the rush of the wedding hadn't given them a lot of time for talking of the future, beyond where they would live and that she would still attend school. 

"There is something that some couples do, it's not 100% effective, but I can pull out before ejaculation and it lowers the chances. It's either that or we just continue they way we have."

"I want to be with you Gilbert, we'll try it with pulling out." He nodded and then took her hand and pulled her up. 

"Now let me see you in this lingerie, that is not too pink to look good on you. It looks ravishing, you look incredible." 

Thin straps over her shoulders, the neckline revealed an incredible amount of skin, including the swell of her breasts and the deep vee, edged with lace, did little to hide her cleavage. It clung to her hips, and fell a few inches above her knees, when he turned her around slowly, the material stuck to her backside, even revealing the line of her cheeks, his mouth went dry, he turned her back to face him, grabbed the glass of wine and downed it in a single swallow. 

"You are glorious." He noticed the single braid still in her hair and reached out, letting it slide though his hands. "I love you so much."

"Not more than I love you." She teased.

"Always looking for a fight." He chuckled just as he lowered his head to kiss her. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he felt her press against him. He sat her back on the edge of the bed and kneeled down between her legs, kissing her neck, shoulders and breasts, while running his hands along her thighs, her hands instantly went to his hair, running her fingers through his unruly hair. She leaned back on one hand, and opened wider, still keeping one hand in his hair, and he placed kiss after kiss on her inner thighs, loving the way they trembled, and how her body tensed in anticipation, when he finally licked her, she gasped, as his tongue went deeper she moaned and his dick twitched in response. He took his time, building her up, making sure she would be ready, helping her get wet enough, it had to be as perfect as he could make it for her. He was familiar with her sounds now, well versed in the language of loving her, he knew she was close, he put both her legs over his shoulders and increased his pressure and speed of his tongue, sliding first one than another finger inside of her, deeper than he had ever gone. She collapsed back on the bed, crying out loudly and squeezed his head with her legs, he could barely breathe but it was worth it, if he died right now he was alright with that. She was bucking off the bed, into his face, her legs were too weak to squeeze, but he held her there a while longer, until she begged him to stop. He moved to sit beside her and smiled smugly at her form, legs sprawled lewdly, eyes closed, he could see her pulse pounding in her throat and her breath sounded like she ran a mile. He stroked her face, and she opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him, a dreamy smile on her face, her hand moving to the back of his head to pull him down for a kiss. 

They kissed, and held each other while Anne caught her breath and then he stood her up and pulled the duvet down, so they could get into the bed, discovering a towel spread out, between the sheets. "Diana thought of everything. She said it can be messy." Anne laughed and climbed into the bed, he got in with her, helping her out of her silky chemise first. They kissed and ran their hands over each other, he dipped his fingers between her legs, she was so warm and wet, his cock was throbbing with need for her, he willed himself to go slow, letting his fingers stretch her a bit.

"Ready?" He asked her, she bit her lip and nodded. "I'll try to be gentle." He promised. 

"It's already been wonderful, whatever you do is going to be just as good. Oh...Diana said it hurt less when Jerry was kissing her." She offered. 

"Noted." He moved between her legs and saw her eyes go wide and a hint of fear, so he kissed her and rubbed her clitoris with his thumb, and eased just the tip of his cock in. 

"Oh..." She said against his lips. 

"Alright?" He asked, looking at her face. She nodded, he was so relieved, it felt incredible, hotter than he could believe, tight..so tight, squeezing him, he could have came right then.

"Yes, it doesn't hurt..yet, just different." He slowly pulled in and out, always stopping before he went to deep. "That feels good." She moaned.

"A little deeper?" He asked and she nodded, pulling him down for a kiss. He felt the barrier then, and stopped, kissed her harder and rubbed around her clit, when she bucked against him during her orgasm, he pushed at the same time, breaking the barrier and hearing her hiss in pain. But she held him to her and continued to kiss him and when she moved her hips experimentally, he stayed still, letting her guide him, fighting the urge to just pump in and out of her at breakneck speed. "Jesus Anne..."

"Alright?" She whispered back his question. 

"I can barely think. You feel amazing."

"So do you, move now but slow." She instructed and he did, feeling the ripples of pleasure wash over him as he slid in and out of her. When her hips began to meet his faster he picked up speed, following her cues, he continued to rub her, noticing her nails were digging into his back and her legs were locked behind him, she was moaning, her pleasure moans and he knew she was close, he pumped harder then, wanting to give her another climax before he finished. Her back was completely off the bed, and she cried out "Oh fuck Gilbert." And that was it for Gilbert, the curse word, his name and her cries were too much, he pulled out and came onto the towel on the bed, shuddering and gasping as he came. When the spots in front of his eyes disappeared, he looked at her, she was laying with arms above her head, eyes watching him, smiling a huge satisfied smile. He kissed her forehead, eyes and lips before collapsing beside her on the bed. 

"You are incredible Gilbert Blythe. I am the luckiest woman alive and I am sure there is no one who feels this happy."

"Except for me." He replied, pulling her to him, she laid her head on his shoulder and they fell asleep, dreaming of the possibilities of their future.

Fin


End file.
